Wolf and Weasel
by Morgane
Summary: COMPLETE Once again Japan is in danger but this time only two people can help - if they don´t kill each other with their endless quarrels before! My ultimate SaitouMisao fic that was nominated for the RK Awards 2002
1. Default Chapter

Standart Disclaimer: Unfortunally I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the characters but at least the story is mine.  
  
  
Author´s notes:  
Yes, this is a fanfic about Misao and Saitou. No, I´m not crazy (well, not totally at least). I don´t know myself what was going on with me when I decided to write this down but ever since that insane idea popped into my head, I could not get rid of it. Please don´t flame me for it since usually, I´m a fanatic MisAoshi-supporter!  
  
A great thanks goes to Mara, without whom this story could have never been written. She edited it, helped me with her excellent ideas and critized me were it was necessary! Thank you a lot!  
(By the way, she plans to write a story with this pairing as well, so don´t miss to read it!!!! I´m absolutely convinced that it will be a success!)  
  
Another thing I´d like you to know is that I´m no native speaker so if you find some mistakes, you may keep them ^_^  
  
But enough with my bubbling, here comes the first (still very short) chapter...  
  
  
  
  
Wolf and Weasel  
  
Part One: Wolf, Weasel and the damned squirrels  
  
  
The lonesome forest layed there under it´s heavy dark roof of oak branches, barely inviting but rather threating, it´s silence only broken by the few cicades who still didn´t resign before the cold and dark season. In it´s autumnly clothes, it reminded of a spidery ruin, a place once full of life but now the accommodation of darkness and loneliness, foreign to any living sound, foreign to any season that was not autumn.  
  
But then...  
  
"Saitou! SAITOU!! For God´s sake, are you DUMP?!"  
Angrily the young girl with the long blue-black braid stopped right in front of the tall police officer who lead them through the uninviting surroundings. "Damn you, have you lost your ears, or what?"  
  
Lifting a burning cigarette to his thin lips, the man, known to others as Saitou Hajime, ex-comander of the Shinsengumi´s third unit or Mibu´s wild wolf, regarded her mockingly with cold amber eyes.  
"I should think that even the people in the next city are able to hear you, Weasel Girl", he stated cooly. The tip glowed bright for a moment then he quirked his lips and a trail of smoke issued from the corner of his mouth. "What is it?"  
  
The girl gesticulated with her bare arm. "Why the hell do we take this freaking forest road?" she demanded angrily. "You kept telling me over and over again that we must reach Osaka as soon as possible so why don´t we take the eastern route?! And on top of this I doubt very hardly that anyone could hear me except from the damned squirrels! This is the lonesomest, most depressive place I have seen in years and believe me, I..."  
  
Saitou sighed. "Perhaps expecting a weasel like you to understand about tactic was a futile attempt," he interrupted her casually. "For this one last time, Makimachi, we are taking this road because it is the only possible way to reach Osaka unnoticed by Shanghai´s spies. Please don't try to accomplish impossible demands and be stupider than you look."  
  
The girl felt her blood raising to her face. "You cold blooded,-" she began furiously but then broke off, her anger even rising, when she saw the wolf lifting his cigarette once again, looking at her with a bored flick of one eyebrow.  
  
"It would be no problem to reach Osaka by time, if your ninjas would have trained you better, Itachi Musume," he remarked, speaking the nickname with detachment, "I really haven´t took you with me just in order to stop every five minutes."   
  
Misao´s eyes began to flare. "How dare you..." she began but the older man was already continuing his path.  
  
"Would you be so nice and come on for once," he demanded without looking back. "I want to headway at least 2o km before dawn if that would be possible with such a useless companion."  
  
Turning red, the girl reached for her kunai. "EAT THIS! KANSA..."  
  
With a crisp flick, the former Shinsengumi sent ashes fluttering, the relaxed lines of his shoulders proclaiming that he knew of her movement but that he was completely unimpressed. "For the case that you were too stupid to notice, Weasel, we really do not have time to play."  
  
"I know that!" she shoot back. "But I sure as hell..."  
  
"If you know that, why don´t you finally shut up and come along." Mockingly he shook his head. "I really don´t know how your keepers are able to tolerate your childish temper tantrums."  
  
Misao prepared for her famous demon kick, but then decided against the attack, feeling the familiar hopelessness welling up in her like whenever she had to deal with Mibu´s wolf. With a barely hearable sigh, she followed him, skipping every third or fourth step in order to catch up with his long legs. What was worse, was her knowledge that Saitou was completely right. If they didn´t reach Osaka by time, something terrible would happen, something against even Shishio´s planned kuni tori would be nothing more than a little disturbence.  
  
Shishio...  
With a sentiment very near to nostalgy, her thoughts wandered back to the events which layed back three years by now. How young she had been then, how energetic in her search for Aoshi. She had sworn to turn over every single stone in Japan just in order to find him and now that he was finally home again, she still travelled around the country, was still searching for...well, actually she did not know what she was looking for, she only knew that she had found it impossible to stay at the Aoiya...to stay with him.  
Misao bit her lip, feeling the old pain welling up in her. Three years since she declared herself Okashira, three year since Aoshi-sama came back, and she could count the words he said to her in all that time on one hand. At first, she had been naive enough to think that time would heal Aoshi´s wounds but now she was obvious to the fact that this would probably never happen. It was more likable that Saitou would quit smoking.  
  
Her glance shoot to the wolf´s muscular back. She still couldn´t quite believe that she was travelling with Mr.Kill-Evil-Instantly-And-Eat-My-Cigarettes Saitou in order to guarantee Japan´s safety against a crazy freak sitting in Shanghai, but since no dream would endure so long (and be so unnerving), she probably had to accept that reality was playing a bad joke on her costs once again.  
  
A sarcastic smile appeared on her lips. Perhaps Aoshi´s stupid philosophers, whom he read all the time when not drinking tea, were just right: life was just a meaningless reptition of one and the same river; the whole story had began quite like this, with a freak´s conspirancy and herself wandering around with a legend from the Bakumatsu.  
But then, how different it had been with sweet and gentle Himura these times.  
Her oceanlike eyes narrowed. By the way...  
  
"Hey, Saitou!"  
  
Stubbing his cigarette carelessly under one boot, the wolf didn´t even bother to turn around. "Is there something in your veins that enables you to be quiet for just five minutes?" he drawled in a tone that made Misao´s temper sparkle like starved dry tinder. "What is it this time, Weasel?"  
  
The girl fought very hard to resist the urge to knock his arrogant smile, which she for sure knew was there, out of his skinny face. "I just wondered why you haven´t called Himura?" she demanded fuming through gritted teeth. "He would have helped you definitely if you had told him what was going on."  
  
Finally the former Shinsengumi-captain turned around, regarding her with these irritating cold amber eyes of his that always managed to send a prickle of cold up her spine. Freaking hell, did anyone ever hear of a man with such an eyecolour?!  
"Is this one of your childish attempt to make a joke or are you stupid enough to ask a ridiculous question like this seriously?"  
  
"You haven´t seen him since that Enishi affair", she continued, trying to ignore his ironic remark. "I simply don´t understand this! He could be so much more an help than..."  
  
"Than you?" The police officer raised a sardonic eyebrow. "There you could be right."  
  
His tone made her long for her kunais again. "Can´t you even answer a simple question, wolf?" she hissed. "Man, travelling around with you is worse than babysitting Okon´s and Hiko-sama´s daughter!"  
  
Flaring a match and clenching a new cigarette between his thin lips, Saitou eyed her with what seemed to be complete indifference.  
"The Battousai in a state of wedded bliss and sentimental father feelings should prove amusing but I doubt that he would be able to fight like this, Weasel girl", he told her in a tone a bit more sincere, before inhalting deeply. "You were present at his last fight. Didn´t you get the feeling that he nearly couldn´t handle the stress anymore?"  
  
Misao wanted to protest loudly, but suddenly remembered how Himura had nearly been beaten by that crazy freak Enishi. He had looked so very exhausted...  
  
Suspicious she glanced at the older man. "You don´t want to tell me that you decided against calling him just because you feel sorry for him?"  
  
The wolf laughed, but it was a sound without any pleasure. "Do I look like a saint to you? No, I decided against calling Japan´s favourite hero simply because I don´t have any use for him. His time is over."  
  
"But this is neither Kaoru´s nor little Kenji´s fault!" Angrily Misao felt the urge to defend her friend. "You know, guys like you just know the way of the sword and nothing else but there is something kenjutsu can´t give you! Kaoru-san and Kenji have shown this to Himura, they have shown him something his damned sword could not: happiness!"  
  
To her shock his eyes opened in a flash, staring at her with something like fire in their depths. Where moments before Misao had been clutching her mantle against the cold, she now felt as if hot steam was drifting from her skin. Bewildered, she took a step back. How could such cold eyes burn this way?  
  
Then Saitou, as suddenly as he had become like this, nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "What does a kid like you know about this anyway?"  
  
Without one more word, he turned around and continued his way, in his characteristic arrogance not even bothering to examine if the girl followed him.  
  
Misao stared blankly after him for some moments. Then she angrily huried after him, her long braid flowing behind her.   
"I hate him", she muttered to herself. "I simply hate this unsufferable, arrogant, cruel, pitiless, cold-blooded psycho cop!"  
  
  
  
********************************************************************************  
Well, what do you say? Is it worth continuing or am I just waisting my time?  
Please R&R!!! 


	2. WeatherWeasel

Standart Disclaimer: Unfortunally I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the   
characters but at least the story is mine.  
  
  
Again, a great thanks to Mara, who still helps me a lot. I honestly don´t know what I would do without her!!!!  
(By the way, have you already read her new story "The right side?" I strongly recommend it!!!!! It´s great, really!)  
  
AND what I totally forgot the last time: THANKS TO MICA-CHAN, who originally had the idea to write a fic about this most crazy pair! Muita obrigada! Já estou à espera para a tua estoria ^_~!  
  
  
  
Part Two: Weather-Weasel  
  
  
One hour after dusk.  
  
Silently and seeming peaceful the huge house layed beside a still lake with its many doors open to the dark night. The stars hung low over the distant horizon, a mere stroke of light between heaven and sea but in spite of their brightness and a tiny night-lamp, plugged directly into the outlet over the far wall, the place remained dark, creating a feeling of twilight and unreality, dim and distorting.   
  
In one corner of the front room, a man was patiently kneeling, hiding his face in the darkness, not allowing his awaited visitor to recognise his features.   
"Well?" he asked in an oddly agreeable voice. "Motoki, isn´t it?"  
  
The addressed man, who had just entered with slow, hesitating steps, bowed hastily, nestling his fingers nervously and hiding his hands in the sleeves of his jacket. "Yeah, that´s right", he answered quickly. "It´s...it´s my pleasure, sir."  
  
A deep lyrical laughter was his answer. "So, it´s your pleasure?" the faceless voice asked playfully. "Well, my acquaintances don´t tend to compliment me in this way very often. But let´s place the jokes aside, Motoki-kun and quickly tell me how the operation in Japan is working."  
  
Motoki bowed a second time, his nervousness still increasing. While he tried to hide his uneasiness, another element of the room strucked him, a fragrance, almost a perfume, not sweet but somehow delicious, making him feel a kind of craving. Whever this man, all over Shanghai only known as the Phantom, was, he had an extraordinary elegant taste.   
"To be honest", he began hesitating, gathering all what was left of his courage  
before he continued. "Well, we are facing problems, sir. It looks as though the Japanese police got information about our movements."  
  
"And you call this a problem?" the voice asked sarcastically. "Good man, it is a well-known fact that the cops of the Meiji government are even less powerful than a child in it´s cradle. It hasn´t passed enough time since the bakumatsu to ensure things in Japan."  
  
"True enough, sir..." Again, Motoki hesitated swallowing. "But you know...there are rumours..."  
  
The body belonging to the faceless figure in the corner stiffened in a sudden movement. "What kind of rumours?" The melodic voice suddenly got sharp, indicating the visitor to think twice before answering...  
  
Motoki gulped over the sudden change. "We cannot be sure of it, sir, but there are people who swore that a man belonging to the Shinsengumi during the Bakumatsu is part of the Japanese police", he stuttered. "A man without whom Shishio Makoto wouldn´t have failed three years ago..." thoughtfully he paused, not knowing what effect the name would cause. "Do you know about a person called Saitou Hajime?"  
  
The sudden silence in the room stroke him oddly. "Sir?" he asked irritated.  
  
"So the miburo dares to cross my way another time?" The man in the corner stood up and approached his shaking visitor, who was now able to see his boss for the first time face to face. Deeply suprsised by the redeeming aristocracy he discovered, his mouth opened wide.   
The Phantom was very tall and elegantly rapped in precious clothes that underlined the extravagant grace of his white skin and his superior charisma. The bones of his face were gracefully sculptured and would have been beautiful to look at if his forehead had not been disfigured by a long ugly scar. His deep blue eyes, colder than ice itself, narrowed as a playful yet cruel smile appeared on his full lips. "Now things finally begin to become interesting."  
  
Motoki still stared wide-eyed at him. "What do you mean? Do you know Sai..."  
  
His voice suddenly died into an almost inaudible breathless croaking as pain twisted through his body. Unbelievingly he stared at the dagger that suddenly stood out his breast. Falling onto his knees, his hand slipped to the wound and felt the wetness and the warmth of his own blood there. "But why...?" he finally managed to stamble.  
  
The man bend over him smiling. "You are out of my plans."  
  
The fragrance was suddenly overwhelming, filling the entire room. It mingled with the burning oak logs in the fireplace, the charred smell of the bricket and the fresh air emerging from the lake, making Motoki wanting to do nothing but to breath deeply.   
"And I don´t appreciate too many people to know my outward appearance, you know?" he heard the Phantom´s voice from very far away. "It ruins my mysterious reputation."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Pressing her eyes together, Misao looked up into the sky and sighed deeply and resigned. It seemed that nothing on this day would work as it should.   
  
"Hey, Saitou!"  
  
Uninterested the police officer turned around and flicked her a slightly contemptuous glance. "I wonder what it is now, Weasel", he drawled bored. "Has one of the squirrels tried to attack you?"  
  
"I doubt that any animal would come near to us if they just see your face!" the girl shoot back, very hard fighting against her temper that was once again yearning to break some of this insufferable man´s bones. "And by the way, your obsession with these freaking squirrels isn´t normal anymore!"  
  
He eyed her completely unimpressed, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. "Is that so? Then tell me what is going on instead."  
  
Fuming through her teeth she swore to herself that she would made him pay for his arrogance some day, even if it costed her life! Then she casted a glance at the bright sky once again, this time even surer of her discovery.  
"The weather is going to change", she answered him shortly, "Sooner or later we will be standing in the rain or - if we are out of luck - in a storm."  
  
Saitou´s smile was as ironic as ever. "Well, which one is it? Sooner or later?"  
  
"Judging from the air up here, I´m guessing sooner", she explained defiantly, not really expecting him to believe her since the sky, free from any clouds, did not reveal his bad intentions to an untrained eye.   
Nevertheless she had to try.  
  
The wolf eyed her thoughtfully. Then he suddenly shrugged his shoulders. "In this case we should better look for a safe place" he stated composedly, surprising the girl with his sincerity.  
  
"No jokes about needing glasses?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
His eyes were as cold as always as he unfolded and studied the card he was carrying with him, before turning around and indicating her to follow him. "The Oniwabanshuu were always the best at what they are doing and therefore I trust your prediction", he returned in his usual unconcerned tone. "If you remember, you´re onmitsu capabilities were exactly the reason why I took you with me." [1]  
  
"How generous!" she hissed back, anger churning in her belly. "But it is not like you had much of a choice! Without our sources and our spy system you could wait for the end of days and achieve nothing in Osaka!"  
  
He sighed deeply. "If you like so", he returned. "And now please stop that senseless bubbling and follow me. According to the card, we must reach a little secret police station in about fifteen minutes. I don´t feel like getting caught in the rain."  
  
"Well, okay, I just meant to..HEY! SAITOU!!!"  
  
Running after him - for he had simply continued his path without looking back-, she cursed him loudly to eternal redemption, naturally without getting any response.  
That mean psycho!  
But she knew that she was right for she had heard him say the words to Jiya herself.  
  
*There are limits for the secret police that does not exist for Ninjas like you who operate in the dark,* Saitou had explained rationally to the old man. *Your organisation is the only one with integrity still working and can therefore gather me the information I need. Furthermore we have the same aims concerning this special case.*  
  
It had sounded rather logical and therefore she had not hesitated when Okina had asked her to help the former Shinsengumi on his way to Osaka, although she had been aware of the fact that the old man was only sending her because he could not endure her lamenting over Aoshi anymore.  
But if she thought about it now...  
  
"Saitou? Why did you accept me to come along with you? Why did you not ask Aoshi-sama for example?"  
  
You've always made your opinion of me plain, she added to herself.  
  
Not even bothering to turn around, he sent ashes to the ground. "Will you go on enumerating every single person I could have asked instead of you?" he drawled in a tone that made Misao long for her kunais again. "Think rationally for once and you will see that it is all quite logical for a couple will simply raise less attention than two men. Besides", at this he turned around and gave her a sarcastic glance. "You still owed me a favour."  
  
Embarrassment made her bluster. She did not like to be reminded, but she knew exactly of what he was speaking. The events in Shingetsu three years ago, her attempt to save Eiji and the sudden attack of that bewildered fanatic - if not for Saitou she could have very easily died on that occasion.  
  
Deep within her thoughts, she followed him in silence. True, Saitou had been insufferable from the very first moment on, but if she wanted to be honest, she herself had not been very helpful either; she did not even give him her thanks on that day. But then so many things had happened. They had met with Shishio and that always smiling boy had broken Himura´s sakabatou so that she had simply forgotten about...  
  
"Stop daydreaming, Weasel. We have reached our destination."  
  
Looking up, Misao saw herself face to face with the most wretched house she had ever seen in her life, a spidery ruin in midst of the forest, which the vines threatened to swallow completely.  
"Who the hell lives here?" she whispered, finding her voice oddly loud in the lonesome place.  
  
Saitou stepped up onto the veranda and slid back a heavy wooden door, which squealingly glided open to a dark and rather uninviting room. "Nobody", he explained shortly. "If you had listened to me before, you would be aware of the fact that this station has been closed a very long time ago. And now I would appreciate you to be useful for at least one time and lit up a fire."  
  
"What? Oh yes..." Hastily Misao searched in her pockets for a match and some of the other basics, a ninja had to carry around all the time and a few minutes later a little fire illuminated the place while outside thunder began to roar threateningly.   
  
Straightening to his full height the older man looked out into the stormy rain. "Well, it seems that it was not such a bad mistake to take you with me, Weasel Girl", he murmured sarcastically while searching in his pockets for a new cigarette.  
  
"Oh thank you very much!" the girl shoot back in an offended tone. Then she let herself fall on the floor. "And what are we going to do now?"  
  
Folding his long legs, Saitou sat down opposite to her, eyeing her intently. "We should use the opportunity to plan our next moves carefully",he suggested in his usual cold tone. "If nothing happens anymore, we should reach Osaka in about three days and I don´t want you to ruin everything with your immature behaviour."  
  
"IMMATURE BEHAVIOUR?!"  
  
Choosing to ignore her, the police officer lightened up another cigarette and continued in his bored voice. "I don´t think that I have mentioned it earlier, so you better listened to me. For the time being, we will live together under the mask of a well-earning man and his mistress, so you should better learn to behave more like an adult soon."  
  
She almost choked on that, turning first white, then red in the face.   
"His...WHAT?!" she finally managed to squieck.  
  
A smothered chuckle emerged from Saitou´s thin lips and Misao felt her face burn even more. The bastard found this comical?!   
  
"You´re not serious, Saitou, are you?!"   
  
Lifting his burning cigarette to his mouth, he looked at her with a bored flick of one eyebrow. "Don´t act like a child; this is probably the best camouflage we could get. Nobody will consider it as odd when a man in his best years likes to spent his money on a girl that easily could be his daughter." A sarcastic smile spread over his face. "So much for the advantages of age."  
  
She was still chewing on his words.  
His mistress...just the thought...She and Saitou. Saitou and her. Wolf and weasel. Oh GOD, how REVOLTING! That was the most ill-minded thing she had ever...oh Nooooooo!!!!  
  
"...through your spies in Osaka we will hopefully get the information we need..."   
  
It endured some minutes before she realized that he was still speaking. Half-heartedly and still with a burning face, she listened to the plan he had explained her already several times before as if she were some sort of idiot. Well, in his eyes she probably was.  
While he went on, her thoughts drifted away a second time. There was still something the wolf did not inform her about, something he hid from her but what she felt with her sharp ninja senses. She couldn´t lay her finger on it but she knew for sure that his plan did not went as easily as he pretended.  
  
"There is something you don´t tell me!" she finally interrupted his monologue. Time for some answers!  
  
A lazy smile appeared on his face. "Of course there is." Inhaling a deep drag of his cigarette delightfully, he leaned back. "But don´t think that I will tell you. It would be a great disturbence if my trumphet card would be revealed to the enemy by a over-exited weasel."  
  
Forgetting her embaressment, she reached out for her kunai. "I know as much about honour as you, you cold-blooded cop!" she told him, her blue-green eyes burning with dangerous anger. "Come what may, I would never ever betray an ally!!!"  
  
Still he remained unimpressed. "People tend to forget their honour when confrontated with torture", he stated rationally. "I really can´t believe that you are an exeption."  
  
"TORTURE?!" She did not believe her ears anymore. "But haven´t you told Jiya that there would absolute no danger for me?!"  
  
His cruel smile widened, obviously enjoying her reaction. "Well, the old man would have never let you go if I had mentioned the fact that his precious one could be in danger", he stated cooly. "Neither would have Shinomori."  
  
The anger light in Misao´s eyes dimmed away. "I would not be so sure of that", she murmered sadly to herself, memorizing how Aoshi had not even given her his goodbye but barely nodded as she had informed him about her leave. Then she lifted her chin again. "And how am I suppossed to trust you when you do not even tell me the whole truth about what is going on?!"  
  
"Well, somehow you´ve got to manage."  
  
At this laconic remark, fury clenched again in the girl´s chest but as she met his sardonic cold gaze, she suddenly had to smile, realizing something she had almost forgot. "You said it was to save Japan and you wouldn´t have lied about this."  
  
A raise of an eyebrow. "I would not?"  
  
"Nep!" Extending legs and arms, Misao tried to make herself more comfortable. "There are not many things you would hesitate to do, but you would never lie when Japan´s future is on the bill. That would be against your beliefs." Daring to hold his cool gaze, she turned towards him. "Shinsengumi wa Shinsengumi, isn´t it that way?" [2]  
  
A small smile twisted his thin lips. "Sometimes you actually manage to suprise me, Itachi musume," he murmured, obvioulsy lightly amused. [3]  
  
This made Misao grin. Suprise him? Well, this was for sure better than going restlessly on his nerves. Not that she cared.  
  
Her eyes silently examined him, the thin features of his face, the irritating cold amber of his eyes, the hard line of his mouth and for the first time she realized that he was actually somehow attractive. In a severe, angular sort of way but nevertheless attractive.  
Then she violently shook her head. What was going on with her? Exquisite beauty like Aoshi´s was her thing not that psycho´s cool fassade.  
  
Again she eyed him surreptiously.   
She did not know much of this man who once saved her. He was like the wolf after which he was named; he appeared from time to time, hunted and than disappeared into the shadows again, nothing like herself. And nothing like Aoshi-sama neither.  
  
Although, she had to admit, there was one aspect, the two men had in common; nobody of them thought that their duty ended just because the cause they believed and trusted in, the cause they fought for was dead and buried.  
  
But at least there was some rest of the Oniwabanshuu, some rest of familiar comfort for Aoshi - even if he choose to ignore it, the girl added bitterly to herself -, while Saitou had nothing but his his fanatical devotion to duty and his strong sense of justice.  
  
Nearly pitiable...  
  
"How long do you still plan to stare at me like a brainless weasel?"  
  
...if it would not be cold, psycho Saitou of course.   
  
"What else is in this freaking hole to look at!" she hissed back. "And believe me, you´re not exactly the kind of thing I would call an agreeable sight! It´s just that I..." her voice trailed off.  
  
He raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Yes?"  
  
"Well I-" she hesitated, unsure whether it was safe to speak about personal matters. "Don´t you ever wonder how funny things worked out?" she finally asked. "I mean, you are Shinsengumi and I am Oniwabanshuu, both groups deeply rooted in the Edo dynasty, and now we are working for the Meiji Government."  
  
"We don't work for the government," Saitou corrected her cooly. "We work for Japan."  
  
"For Japan?"  
  
"Of course." Taking a deep draw on his cigarette, he smiled sarcastically at her. "In a way, things haven´t changed so very much since the Bakumatsu. The people are still the same, they are too concerned with their own meaningless lives to face an enemy and so they need people to protect them."  
  
"´There aren't many people who are brave enough to place their life on the line to defend their honor and dignity as a human being. Just surviving, like an animal, you don't need honor and dignity´", the girl murmered absent-minded. [4]  
  
At this, Saitou´s eyes flickered. "You still remember that?"  
  
Holding the older man´s amber stare, the girl nodded. "Of course I do, I´m not a senile like you!" Suddenly a sad smile appeared on her lips. "Hanya-kun once told me always to pay attention when somebody speaks up important matters", she added quitely. "He said I could learn a lot by this."  
  
His eyes narrowed. "Hanya...was this one of Shinomori´s old group?"  
  
The girl nodded. "Yes."  
  
For a moment there was silence. Then Saitou stood up and moved towards the window. "I don´t think that we will head much further today. Let´s better stay here and regain monumentum."  
  
Misao yawned in agreement. For the moment she was too tired to think further about that crazy cop´s motives.  
  
********************************************************************************  
Notes:  
  
[1] Onmitsu: Ninja  
[2] Shinsengumi remains Shinsengumi (this is one of the most famous Saitou speeches! Well, one of my favourites, at least ^_~)  
[3] Itachi Musume: Weasel Girl (I considered it boring always to call her Weasel)  
[4] When Saitou and Misao met for the first time, he told her this pearl of wisdom by putting his hand on her head (which I always found rather cute ^_^). The translation comes from Maigo-chan!  
  
  
To answer some questions: Yes, I will mention Tokio and her relationship to Saitou but you still have to wait quite a lot for this passage. These first two chapters were more or less only an exposition, so please continue to read my unworthy work and R&R for I always need some encouragement to fight against my lazyness ^_^!!!! 


	3. Womanizing a Weasel

Standart Disclaimer: Unfortunatly I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the characters but at least the story is mine.  
  
  
Again, kisses, flowers and all other kind of very grateful gifts to Mara, without whom you would never be able to read this fic! I honestly don´t know what I would do without her!!!!  
  
  
Originally I wanted to begin with the Osaka Plot in this chapter but I absolutely was not able to resist this little piece of silliness. I hope you will enjoy it...  
Oh, yes, people kept asking me about TOKIO´s role in this story. Like I promised, I will mention her and her relationship to Saitou (which is by the way one of the reasons why this is also called "drama"...), but I refuse to give any hints, so you must keep on reading =^_~=  
By the way, it could be that I need more time than usual for the next chapter, becuase I´m going to write my final exams at the end of that month. Please wish me good luck and don´t forget me!!!!  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: Womanising a weasel  
  
  
Although it was very early in the morning, the streets of the little city were already full of life; young women were chatting together while attending their shoppings, men were going of to their work and children were playing. Only two, a man and a girl, did not seem to fit into the picture...  
  
"Don´t tell me you actually got me into this!" the female´s voice ringed through the street, while she angrily folded her arms in front of her chest. "Please tell me that this is only a weird dream and when I wake up I´m laying rapped up in my futon and nothing of this ever happened! Please, Saitou!"  
  
Mockingly the older man lifted a sardonic eyebrow, looking down on the girl walking beside him with conspicuous wicked amusement. "I´m sorry, Makimachi, but I don´t tend to lie this early in the morning."  
  
Misao snorted loudly and remained in her defiant pose, not in the mood for his damned ironic witt. As time passed, she actually thought that there was no conspirancy at all but that Saitou had woken up some day telling himself that it would be an excellent idea to ruin a poor little weasel´s life by driving her nuts. And he was on the best way to achieve this goal!   
Okay, she began to numerate the troubles this insufferable maniac had already sent her through since she travelled around with him. Fine. She let him mock her all of the time. Not great but she could stand it. She risked loosing her life either by one attack of the enemy, by a crack-up or by non-stop passive smoking. All this was not pleasant but bearable. But his newest idea was way too much to endure.  
  
"Why the hell are we going on a SHOPPING TOUR?!" she finally demanded for the one hundredth time this morning.  
  
Lifting his cigarette, he looked at her with a bored flick of one eyebrow. "As I have already told you, Weasel Girl, nobody in Osaka is supposed to know about our real identity and your onmitsu outfit isn´t quite what I would call unobtrusive. We are still far enough away from Osaka so that we can buy you a new gaderobe without getting under suspicion."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No but!" Emitting a trail of smoke from the corner of his thin mouth, he smirked sarcastically. "As hard as I try, I absolutely can´t see the stress about wearing a kimono."  
  
Lowering her head, she shortly bite her lip. "It´s uncomfortable", she answered after a minute of silence. "How am I supposed to fight in a kimono? Or to do something else that is interesing?!"   
  
"Well, if we have some luck, we will be able to end this story without any bloodshed." Saitou lifted his burning cigarette to his thin lips. "Although that would be a shame."  
  
Against her will, Misao had to grin slightly. There were not many aspects in Saitou´s personality she shared, but she couldn´t help but admire his cool attitude towards fighting. Years had passed since the Edo dynasty, but he was still Mibu´s wild wolf, his fangs sharp as ever. Like the Oniwabanshuu, he had not lost his spirit.   
Not that this made him more congenial for her!  
  
"How long until we arrive at this famous vendor´s shop?" she asked unenthusiasticle.   
  
Mockingly he shook his head. "How did you managed to survive as a ninja with so little of patience?" he asked sarcastically. "I don´t know either so don´t bother me with unneccessary questions."  
  
Folding her arms once again, the girl stared daggers at him. "You don´t know how lucky I am when this is all over!" she snapped. "Everything is better that spending my time with YOU!"  
  
She wasn´t really surprised by not getting any answer. It was just TOO characteristic for this arrogant smart ass!  
  
Suddenly he raised his head. "I suppose we have reached our destination", he explained, pointing towards a huge house with a black lattern on it. "When we reach Osaka in two days, you will hopefully have gotten used to your new femininity."  
  
Misao felt like dragging her kunai into his smirking face. New femininity? That bastard!  
  
But he was still not done with his insults. While opening the door to the shop, he gave her a last uninterested look. "Since I doubt you to have any good taste, I will be the one who will choose your gaderobe. You just have to be quiet and to behave yourself like a proper Japanese girl for once."  
  
"I always behave like..."  
  
"Can I help you?" a low male voice asked.  
  
Saitou´s expression chaged into a polite, friendly smiling mask. "It´s our pleasure to meet you", he greeted in an oddly agreeable tone while bowing modestly to the shop owner who came busily towards them. "I´m searching for some kimono and hakama for me, but I´m sure I will succeed on my own." An evil smile appeared on his face. "What is of real importance is this young lady´s gaderobe."  
  
Misao fought the urge to attack him with her demon kick and gave him a strained smile instead. The mean wolf was actually enjoying this!  
  
The vendor looked from Saitou to Misao and back to Saitou again and slowly a lecherous grin spread over his face. "I see."  
  
It was quite obvious what he thought to see and Misao felt the desire to sink into the soil. Did she look like a whore or what?  
  
But before she was able to articulate her anger, Saitou went on speaking.  
"Well, we are looking for some clothing both for daily use and for special events." The ambiguity of his smile matched the seller´s easily. "It shall be a gift."  
  
"A gift? Oh, how insightful!" the seller jubilated. "I´m sure we will find something that matches the lady´s beauty."  
  
Misao swallowed over this. Although she knew that the man was only complimenting her in order to get Saitou´s money, it made her feel a kind of craving and suddenly a sad thought formed itself in her. Aoshi-sama had never told her how pretty he thought she was. Not once.  
Probably because she was not.  
  
Silent and grave, she followed Saitou and the vendor who showed them some of his clothing before modestly returning behind his counter, but her sadness was quickly repulsed by her amazement at Saitou´s behaviour.  
  
Although she had never thought this possible, the wolf had a very discerning eye for quality and skill. With a critical look he walked through the shop and examined the garments, only ordering her to pick goods of extreme high quality.  
Misao resisted for five minutes to break the silence, but when she was already loaded with two yukatas, three kimonos and some obis, she absolutely wasn´t able to suppress the question anymore.   
"Why the freaking hell do you know so much about female clothing, wolf?!" she demanded whispering. Then suddenly a idea popped into her head. "Do you sometimes do this with your wife? Shopping I mean?"  
  
Saitou paused, steel eyes lifting and meeting the girl´s blue-green ones´. If it were not for the wolf, she would have sworn to see something like the faintest hint of bitterness in its dephts but most probably the flickering lamp was the cause of that illusion for he returned to his normal insufferable self at once.  
"Weasel, one day your curiousness will kill you and I can guarantee you that I won´t mourn for you."  
  
Without waiting for her reaction, he continued his shopping, not even bothering about the girl who stared irritated at his back.   
Then she shrugged her shoulders. Well, it was not the first time Saitou was a mysterium to her.  
  
While she followed him through the shop, one particular kimono suddenly grabbed Misao´s attention.   
It was a beautiful midnight-blue fabric made out of the finest silk with butterflies etched in silver and violet, a clothing both modest and ravishing.  
Although she never liked female clothing very much, she couldn´t but gasp at the pure beauty of the garment. With hesitating movements she picked it up and let the soft fabric run through her fingers, admiring how the butterflies´ colour seemed to change with every ray of light that touched their fragile wings. In her whole life, she had never seen something that exquisite before.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
Misao looked up to meet Saitou´s cool gaze and nodded. Then she sighed, and put the kimono back in his place, still eyeing it longingly. "Unfortunatly I will never be able to afford something like this, so let´s simply forget it."  
  
Saitou did not answer but pulled off his gloves and ran his long fingers along the intricate designs both embroidered and woven into the silk.   
"I have underestimated you when I said that you don´t have any taste, Itachi Musume", he murmered to himself. "Really underestimated you." Then he turned to the shop owner. "Excuse me? We are wondering how much this particular kimono would cost."  
  
"Have you gone crazy?" the girl hissed but it was already too late since the vendor had already joined them, his eyes suddenly strongly reminding of money signs. "Oh, you really have got an eye for the finest quality", he called out. "It´s the best thing we are selling at the moment! Isn´t it pure luxury just to feel the silk? I always thought..."  
  
"How much?" Saitou asked a second time without loosing his polite tone, but with a dangerous glimmer in his eyes.  
  
A little bit scared the seller named the horrible high price.  
  
"Like I said, it is far too expensive!" Misao wagged her hands. "We..."  
  
"We'll take it," Saitou interrupted her, casually placing the money on the counter.  
  
Violently Misao shook her head. "Have you gone nuts? I could never accept this."  
  
"Of course you can."  
  
"But WHY the hell would you offer me something like this?!"  
  
"Because you could need it."  
  
The seller looked from one to another, astonishment clearly seen on his face. Then his lecherous grin returned to his face. "Well, young lady, if the gentleman insists on offering you this wonderful work, I would not say no", he told the onmitsu girl in a awkwardly intimate tone. "I am sure you will find some way to reward him."  
  
Turning red, Misao already reached out for her kunai as a strong hand landed on her shoulder. "So am I", Saitou returned calmly. "Will you please pack our purchase?"  
  
"Oh, that´s my assistant´s work", the vendor explained. "She works in the back room."  
  
"I see. Misao, why don´t you help this gentleman´s assistant while I search for some clothing for me?" the wolf suggested, still using his dangerous calm tone, while his eyes indicating her to follow his orders at once. Then he smiled at the seller. "She is a bit over-exited because it´s her first journey. I hope you will forgive her."  
  
The seller grinned in return. "But of course I do. Young women are always difficult, aren´t they?"  
  
As both began to laugh suggestivly, Misao, deep red in the face, decided to accept Saiout´s earlier offer.  
  
Everything was better than enduring these two anymore.  
  
With quick steps she walked into the back room where a slight woman in her midthirties was already waiting for her, a big smile on her face.   
  
Already tired of the whole farce, Misao barely nodded while giving her the clothes Saitou had choosen for her. "Would you please wrap it?"  
  
The smile of the woman increased. "A stressing day?"  
  
"You won´t know." Unable to resist the kind offer, Misao sat down on a futon and observed how the woman packed her purchase in elegant boxes. When she came to the midnight-blue kimono, she stopped, a thoughtful expression on her face. "A beautiful work", she murmered to herself. "You really have a fine taste, lady."  
  
When Misao only nodded with a wry smile, the bright blue eyes began to look astonished. "Don´t you like it?"  
  
Blustering the girl shook her head. "No, I love it. It´s the most beautiful thing I´ve ever seen in my life. I just wonder why...", lookinginto the woman´s eye, she decided to tell her her problem. "You see, the kimono is a ...present or something like this... from a man I know and I don´t have any clue why he would offer me something like this."  
  
Then she noticed the assistant´s grin. "Is there a problem?"  
  
With a little giggle the woman began to fold the beautiful work. "Oh no, not at all. I just thought that you must be very lucky to have a man like this."  
  
"Lucky?" Misao couldn´t believe her ears. Lucky to have this crazy, cold-blooded cop around?  
  
"Of course!" The assistant gave the girl a cheerfully sly look. "He really made an effort to find something very special for you and did not look at the prize. Not many men are willing to do this in order to please their women."  
  
Misao looked wide-eyed at her. Well, if you wanted to look at the whole business like that...  
  
But before she could think further about this topic, Saitou´s cold, unconcerned voice was heard from outside. "Are you ready, Misao?"  
  
"Yes!" Hastily she jumped up and giving the smiling woman a shy smile herself, she grapped the packets and hurried outside where Saitou was already waiting with some packet of his own, leaning on the wall, cigarette smoke wreathing his head.  
  
Nervous without knowing the reason why, Misao avoided his cold stare. "Well, here am I."  
  
"I am still able to see quite well, Weasel." Turning around, he indicated her to follow him. "I suggest us to head for the nearest inn and change clothes there. Then we can instantly head for Osaka."  
  
Resigned she made up her mind to follow him but then stopped in her tracks. No, she couldn´t do it again. She couldn´t accept his generosity (or whatever it was) another time without...  
  
"Saitou?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well...I...thank you."  
  
She almost choked when Saitou turned around and gave her a long thoughtful glance.   
His eyes were so cold, she thought bewildered, fighting the sudden urge to step back. Although being used to Aoshi´s icy orbs, she felt her heart beat faster. The former okashira´s cool blue eyes never studied her open like this, his eyes never slided over her face and down over her fragile figure as if he had never seen her before in his life.   
  
Suddenly Saitou was stepping back and Misao felt herself return to reality with a bump. "You´re welcome", he offered dryly before continuing his path.  
  
Staring at his back for some for long seconds, followed him with slow, hesitating steps, wondering what the hell was up with her?  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
His ice blue eyes locked on the still lake, the man sat in silence, perfectly dressed in elegant black and looking more than a statue than a mortal. From time to time, he touched the scar on his forehead only to pull it down instantly as if the touch had burnt him, a hateful expression on his face.  
  
Saitou Hajime.  
  
It had been fifteen years since he had seen this man for the last time but ever since that dead idiot Motoki had mentioned his name, this name so deeply imprinted in his heart and his memory, he could think of nothing else than him anymore, him, whom he found maddening and intolerable annoying and whom he longed to destroy since he had not been able to gain his friendship.  
  
The man sighed deeply.  
It still felt like yesterday when he had met the captain of the third division of the Shinsengumi in Kyoto. From the first moment on it had been fatal attraction. He had admired the wolf, as people choose to call him, most in the world and had hundredth of times begged for his love and companionship, willing to kill and to die for him, but Saitou had never had more than coldness for him.  
  
His eyes narrowed. But now the time for revenge had finally come. He had always knew that fighting Japan meant to fight Mibu´s wolf, whose whole self was centured around his duty to protect his precious country, and he was eager to do it, eager to destroy the man who had burnt his youth to cinders.  
  
"Sir?" One of his servants interrupted his bitter thoughts. "The ship is ready. Anytime you like we can sail off to Japan."  
  
Standing up with one gracious movement, the man smiled cruelly. "Hajime-kun", he whispered into the wind. "I will tear apart everything that is dear to you. This is the new promise."  
  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Uncertain with herself Misao wandered up and down in front of the full length mirror, eyeing suspicious how she looked in one of the more sedate clothing Saitou had chosen for her.  
Of course she had worn kimonos before when Okon or Omasu had forced her to do so but never a garment like this, which was, as far as the color, the embroidery, and its cut were concerned, clearly meant for a woman - and she did not even want to think about for what kind of woman!   
Without any success she fighted to pull the neckline close, embarrased about   
exposing so much of her pale shoulders. Her face began to burn as her eyes swept over her reflection. She knew that in her new position as a ´mistress´ she could not wear juvenile girl clothes but why the hell did Saitou have to choose only garments that outlined her curves so clearly?!  
  
Again she walked up and down in front of the mirror. Despite her embarrasment she had to admit that the wolf had chosen the right clothes for her. She never looked so mature before, so much like a woman.  
A little smile formed itself on her lips. She wondered what Aoshi would say if he saw her like this...  
  
Deeply stock in her daydreamy, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a knocking on the door.  
"Ye..yes?"  
  
The door slid soundlessly open and Saitou stepped into the room, making the room seem even smaller. Misao froze. Like herself the older man had discarded his usual clothing and was now wrapped in a dark yukata that made his eyes glow with cold amber fire. It occurred to the girl, all in a rush, that this was the first time she'd seen the man in anything but his uniform. He looked less conform, wilder, more like the wolf he was supposed to be.  
She was not sure at all if she approved the change.  
  
Thanks to some generous god, Saitou did not notice her look for he was to occupied with watching her figure intently. "Well, I think it should work", he finally stated cooly. "There is only one thing you forgot."  
  
"And that would be what?" Misao asked brashly.   
  
Suddenly his face was only inches away from hers. Her breath stopped, feeling   
him so near to her, and in a rush of ramptant pulse and heat, she nearly   
did not notice how he securely placed a barrate in her hand. "Your hair."  
  
Looking down at the barrate and then at him, she finally understood.   
And she had already thought...well, what was it that had just occured to her?  
  
"Weasel, I´m waiting."  
  
Still sort of paralyzed, Misao turned towards the mirror, and began to arrange her hair with shaking hands. When she was done, she thought to see a foreigner for an instant, a woman whom she had never met before in her life but there was no one in the mirror but herself, with her hair clipped back, looking very pale and grown-up.  
  
"This is way better. I suppose our real journey can begin by now", she heard Saitou explaining in his usual unconcerned tone. "I don´t want to lose more time so let´s set off at once."  
  
Turning around, one half of the girl wondered why she always ended up staring blankly at his back while the other half tried to figure out when she'd lost control of all this.   
  
That meant, if she ever had control of it at all.  
  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
  
Well, I asked Mara about Japanese clothes, and she suprised me once again with her incredibous knowledge. So notice: the following information come from MARA not from me!!! I´m far to ignorant to know these things ^_^  
  
  
Men's kimono:  
The woolen men's kimono is dressed quite easily. It is of a dark, firm   
material, men use a small, hand's breadth obi, the knot or bow is on the back.   
If you are on the street, you wear a 'over-jacket', called 'haori' over   
the kimono.  
A hakama with fine strips and a longer 'over-jacket'(mon-tsuki) over the kimono, it is altogether more elegant. On the mon-tsuki you find the three family-'coat of arms' (mon). You wear white socks (tabi) and elegant sandals (zori).  
  
  
Women's kimono:  
You find more variations here: The length of the sleeves indicates if a woman is married for example, the sleeves of unmarried women's kimonos are longer. The   
colour indicates the age, the colours are subdued for older women.   
For a complete kimono you need a 'under-dress' (naga-juban) and the   
actual kimono is hold together with the obi, which is quite improtant since there is only one size for kimono, so that you have to adopt the length by folding it under the obi. The colour of the cord, which with you have to tie the obi (obi-ji-me) indicates the occasion on which the kimono is worn (red = happy, grey/black = sad, white = normal) 


	4. Why can a Weasel not have peaceful after...

Standard Disclaimer: Unfortunately I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the   
characters but at least the story is mine.  
  
I´M FINALLY BACK! It did cost me stress and sleepless nights, but now I   
am finished with all my written exams and will graduate soon, so I   
promise to go on with my work more quickly from now on, cross my heart!  
  
Like always my thanks goes to Mara for her encouraging words and her   
helpful advice. Since I have absolutely no talent for writing about   
military strategy or fighting scenes (the only fights I ever take part in   
are the end-of-year sales...), she "inspired" this chapter a lot!   
Without her I would never have been able to write this properly! Nochmals   
vielen Dank =^_^=!  
  
  
  
Chapter 4: Why can a Weasel not have peaceful afternoons?  
  
  
Very aware of the disrespectful yet admiring glances men shoot at her, Misao headed through the busy streets of Osaka, her head shyly lowered to the ground. Never before in her whole life men had looked at her like that, with this strange burning fire in their eyes, and it made her feel more insecure than she liked to admit to herself, a feeling that was even increased by her difficulties regarding the heavy kimono Saitou had forced her to wear.  
  
After nearly falling on her face, she finally decided to slow down, hissing a curse about the tiny steps you had to make in female clothing. As far as she could see, such garments reduced a woman's freedom in two ways: they made it impossible to do something interesting and, she added sarcastically, they turned the males around you in sex fancied idiots!  
  
Nevertheless her mood cheered up already some moments later, as her glance strolled over her surroundings more distinctfully. How could she ever have forgotten about the special magic of this city?   
  
Inhaling deeply, she let her head fall into the neck, enjoying the pleasant sunlight on her face. Osaka was totally different from her beloved Kyoto, different from the whole traditional Japan she knew, but nevertheless only being in this city with its friendly looking habitants and its beautiful archways always appealed to her senses like few things else. Back then, when she had still been searching for Aoshi-sama and the others, she had always found a reason to stop here in order to stay at the local Oniwabanshuu for some days before returning home, but ever since Aoshi was back, she had given up that habit, and it was only now that she realized that she had missed the place. [1]  
  
But her cheerfulness only remained for some minutes before she fell back into her earlier mood. Strange as it was, she was feeling, as if something was not the way it should be, as if something very important was missing, as if...  
  
Realization came to her like a thunder roar. It was the first day for a whole week she walked around without Saitou.  
  
Her nose wrinkled. This wolf had an effect on her that was already scary!  
  
Lowering her head again, she thought about their arrival in this city a few hours ago. Saitou had lead her towards a rather lonely situated huge and elegant house, whose the owners, an old married couple, had already been waiting for them to show them around the place. Naturally enough they had considered her relationship to the tall man at her side more than just platonic and had therefore made very suggestive comments about that place being a paradise for lovers, a statement, at which she had almost died out of embarrassment while the psycho cop had barely nodded, his thoughts obviously occupied with something else. As soon as the couple had left them, he had smoked three cigarettes after another while planning their next moves, of course not bothering to let her participate in his plans.  
  
Misao wrinkled her nose again. It had been typical for Saitou, that for sure, but nevertheless she had felt like taking his damned cancer stick from him and trampling on it. Before the urge had become irresistible, she had left him alone to stroll around her new ´home´ on her own, an occupation which had not pleased her the least. There had been a feeling of solitude hanging around the place, she recalled with a shudder, an unnerving silence which had made her all nervous. Paradise for lovers? Perhaps for the ghosts of them!  
But when she had asked Saitou about his impression, he had only rose an eyebrow laconically, telling her briefly that they were on a mission and not on a vacation.  
  
After the inevitable following exchange of insults, they had finally come to the decision to investigate each of them on their own; Saitou by meeting with some sources of him and she by visiting the local Oniwabanshuu. Which she was doing right now.  
  
The local Oniwabanshuu.  
Her blue-green began to sparkle in anticipation of meeting them again. The people of Osaka were famous for their being different all over Japan but the Onmitsus with their amiable garrulosity were special even for the standards of this place. A proud little smile appeared on her delicate lips. They were strange people, people out of the ordinary and therefore the only sort of people she could respect. Perhaps, it occurred to her in rush, perhaps this was a bond she shared with Saitou. Like he lived according to his Shinsengumi discipline alone, she herself, being born and raised by onmitsus, accepted the ninja's way as the only way she was willing to follow, even if it lead her to death one day.   
  
Her thoughts turned back to Mibu´s wolf. She had never disliked him in the way Kaoru or Sanosuke did - you couldn't really hate a person who saved your life on the first occasion you met him - , but as longer as she was with him she couldn't help could but being glad about having him around. Of course he was meaner than the devil himself and had absolutely no sense of mercy but nevertheless she had to admit that there was more to this man than his superior fighting skills. Like herself, he hated corruption and evil like poison and longed to destroy it, like herself he was never satisfied by what he had already achieved. And, she added reluctantly, as insufferable as his superior attitude towards everything and everybody might be, it was better to be busy with being   
annoyed about him and with asking herself the big secret question what sort of woman had been stupid enough to marry such a devil than to think about Aoshi.  
  
Her eyes narrowed, feeling the old pain raising up in her.   
Aoshi-sama...  
  
He probably sat in the temple at that very moment, meditating or drinking his tea in silence, not bothering the least that it had been Okon or Omasu and not her that had brought it to him.  
  
Angrily she shook her head. No, she would not think about him, for thinking about him always meant to go through all this pain again and again. Thinking of him meant to admit defeat, meant long sleepless nights and wet cried pillows. Furthermore it never brought her to any conclusion but the one that she was a naive idiot.   
  
Straightening up, she quickened her pace again, knowing that her destination was nearby. No, she would not let herself surrender by despair, she told herself firmly. She had always tried to be strong for him, but now it was time to face reality, now it was time to be strong for herself.  
  
Then she finally arrived at her destination, a small house in nothing different from the other houses around, in nothing distinguishable from the world it belonged to. A perfect camouflage, she thought analytically as she entered the in yard, only to hit herself violently on the head one moment later. God, now she was already thinking like this stupid wolf, where would that end?!  
  
Before she could deepen this thought, a loud scream of joy was heard.   
"MISAO-CHAN!"  
  
"Not -chan", she corrected half-heartedly as a tall brown-eyed woman with long rippling hair ran towards her and pressed her violently to her huge breasts. "Good to see you again, Hitomi-san."  
  
"Oh and to see you! But I nearly did not recognise my little girl!" Hitomi released her and examined her admiring. "Hush, who would have thought that our boyish Misao-chan would turn into such a lovely young woman? You look beautiful, darling, honestly!"  
  
Embarrassed Misao lowered her look. "That's just the kimono", she returned shyly.  
  
"The kimono?" The older woman laughed warmly. "So the depths of your eyes and these delicate features are just the result of wearing a kimono? You must tell me the address of your tailor."  
  
Before the girl was even able think about returning something, Hitomi was already shoving her into the direction of the house. "Come on, cutie, we can discuss this inside. Unfortunately the others are on a mission in the west but I'm sure Hashimoto-san is already waiting for you! Oh, he will be soooo pleased to see you!"  
  
Smiling slightly, Misao gave in, remembering one of Okina´s rare lectures: There was no way to discuss something with a ninja; the whole bunch was just to stubborn for their own good!  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Sipping silently on her tea, Misao waited more or less patiently for Hashimoto Ryu, the former leader of the Osaka Oniwabanshuu, to appear. What was this man doing that took him so long? Reorganising Japan's cultural structure?!  
Sighing deeply, she put the cup back on the little table where Hitomi had lead her to. She was a person who liked to be in activity, so if there was one thing in the world she hated with a burning passion, it was waiting.  
  
Looking around the room, she was like always amazed at the bare grace of Hashimoto-san´s modest home. Although lacking all the things that made a normal house inviting, paintings and embellishments of any kind, a feeling of grandeur sticked to the place.   
Maybe it was because of its inhabitants grandeur.  
  
Misao´s eyes began to shine proudly.  
Like the Kyoto Oniwabanshuu, the group here in Osaka had managed to find a place in the new era without forgetting their old duties, like them they had never stopped to work as ninja.  
  
´Well, Saitou, Shinsengumi could remain Shinsengumi, but Oniwabanshuu surely do likewise.´  
  
Then she suddenly froze, asking herself for the hundredth time on this day what the hell happened to her. Why could she not quit thinking of that psycho cop and his idiotic philosophy of life?!  
  
"May I disturb you in your concentration?"   
  
Barely able to suppress a squeak, Misao turned around in one fluid movement, before relaxing alleviated. "Oh, it's you, Hashimoto-san. Gee, you really frightened me!"  
  
A severe looking man in his early sixties, approached her and bowed shortly. "You should have made me out long before I entered."  
  
A little flush appeared on her cheeks. "Hai!"  
  
As he placed himself opposite to her, she eyed him secretly under her long thick lashes. After the end of the Edo dynasty and Aoshi-sama´s departure, Hashimoto Ryu had practically held the same position in Osaka as Okina in Kyoto but as far as she could see this tale earnest man was much impressive than Jiya and therefore she always felt insecure in his overwhelming presence. Nevertheless she valued his abilities a lot.  
  
His cold, steely grey eyes scanned her fragile figure with ruthless intensity, at which she glanced away quickly.  
"It has been a long time since our last encounter", he finally began the conversation with his usual coldness. "Okina already wrote me in order to prepare me for your visit and the questions you bring with you."   
  
"Uh, that's good." Forcing a smile on her face, Misao met his eyes. "I suppose you have already gathered some information about the happenings in Shanghai?"  
  
It was more a statement than a question. Hashimoto Ryu would never bring shame on him and not be prepared to such an interview.  
Like she had supposed, he nodded gravely. "As you ordered, Okashira."  
  
He spoke the last word with hesitation and Misao´s eyes instantly clouded over this formal address. Although being the official head of their organization for over three years by now, she still was not familiar with this title and could not help herself but thinking of Aoshi-sama whenever she head it.  
  
"Okashira?"  
  
Realizing where she was, she accusingly bowed to the ground. "I'm sorry, Hashimoto-san, I was just thinking...well, what have you found out about that conspiracy?"  
  
Hashimoto eyed her for a very long moment but if he wanted to comment her strange behaviour, he did not. "We could not find out much", he finally began his report. "But according to our sources, the conspiracy is lead by a man of Japanese origin. After Yukishiro Enishi was defeated three years ago, he took over the organized crime in Shanghai and soon gained the power over the whole place. Few people have ever seen his face for which reason he is called the ´Phantom´."  
  
"The Phantom?" Misao echoed. "Sounds rather pathetic to me."  
  
Hashimoto settled back. "Then believe my judgement that there is nothing pathetically about his movements. Those are proving high intelligence and clear insight. I would even swear that he tries to imitate the way the Shinsengumi once used to work."  
  
A shiver of cold ran down the young girl's spine. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded, carefully hiding her sudden excitement.  
  
Hashimoto looked a bit thoughtful. "Did you ever hear about the incident in the woods near Kyoto during the Boshin wars?"  
  
Misao shook her head. "Please tell me."  
  
"It was an operation under Saitou Hajime, the commander of the third unit and by all means one of the most ruthless and intelligent of the wolves. He knew about the existence of one traitor in his group and therefore sent his men to this aforementioned place where he revealed the Ishinshishi´s plan to ambrush them. In the moment of the attack the traitor showed his real face and Saitou attacked together with Nagakura's and Okita's group. It was a quite clever trick to let them walk into the trap and a certain way to uncover the agent. The Phantom used the same trick in order to eliminate his enemies in Shanghai. As far as I can see, he was trying to copy Saitou´s style."  
  
"Do you think...", Misao began hesitating. "Well, do you consider any mutual bond between this men and the Miburos possible?"  
  
Hashimoto nodded gravely. "Why not? Nobody knows how many of the wolves have survived the beginnings of the Meiji era."   
  
"True enough", Misao answered slowly, her blue-green eyes narrowed. Could it be? Could it be that there was any bond between this ominous Phantom and the wolf that pestered her life already for a week? Was this whole conspiracy only an act of revenge against Saitou? It was almost too hilarious to believe!  
  
"Hashimoto-san?" she finally demanded matter-of-factly.  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"I want you to find out as much as possible about this man, the Phantom and to reconcile all our information concerning surviving Shinsengumi, especially those, who had a special relationship to the commander of the third unit." Standing up, she began to walk up and down in the room. "In addition to that, I want to know everything that is happening in Shanghai at the moment. No matter what, tell it to me immediately. This is a case of absolute priority for our organization, so call our people all over Japan. And..." Finally realizing the strange look Hashimoto gave her, she stopped in her tracks. "What is it?"  
  
"Nothing." The old man eyed her intensely. "It's just that for one moment I thought to see your grandfather in front of me."  
  
Misao blushed, not knowing how to answer this. She had been very young when Makimachi Hayato died, but remember him and his pride very well. How frightening this strong-willed and passionate man had been to her, and how she had admired him at the same time. And not only her, all members of the Oniwabanshuu would have willingly given their lives to him, simply overwhelmed by his charismatic personality.  
She gulped uneasily. A comparison to him was probably the highest compliment Hashimoto knew.  
  
"If he were still alive, he could take care of this much better than me", she finally stated quietly. "Differently from me, he always knew what to do."  
  
Hashimoto´s expression was unreadable. "You are still young."  
  
"Aoshi-sama was also young when chosen to become Okashira and he never faced any of my problems!" she returned bitterly. Lowering her head to the ground, she   
felt frustration overflowing her. "He should be the Okashira again. He's much more skilled than I am."  
  
She glanced at him, but looked away quickly.   
  
A long moment of silence passed between them, finally broken by Hashimoto.  
  
"Okashira." This time he spoke the word with detachment. "You are mistaken about Shinomori Aoshi. Nobody of us would accept him as leader once again. You might have forgiven him his treason, but we certainly have not."   
  
Misao opened her mouth to protest, but the older man lifted a hand and continued coolly. "You are our leader now. May it be wrong or not that a woman has this position, our loyalty and trust belongs to you. And I am sure that Makimachi-sama would be very proud of you."  
  
"Granddaddy?!" the girl echoed bewildered, forgetting her frustration over her surprise. "Proud that a female leads his organization?!?!"  
  
Hashimoto shook his head. "Male or female, I don't think it would matter to him."  
  
Misao´s eyes widened even more. "Not?"  
  
A small surprising smile appeared on Hashimoto´s lean face. "You don't seem to realize it yourself but you are so much an Oniwabanshuu, fierce and strong willed." His eyes grew warmer. "Don't you know how it is with us? Nobody gets off light!"  
  
Carefully the girl smiled back. Suddenly she saw her grandfather's severe face with its intense blue-green eyes in front of her inner eye and heard his roaring voice.  
´Be proud of your blood, Misao! In the end it is the only thing that counts.´  
  
Perhaps Hashimoto was right. Perhaps he would actually appreciate her overtaking his position...  
  
"Thank you", she finally whispered.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Once again, Misao was heading down the streets of Osaka, this time even deeper in thoughts than the first time this morning.  
  
Not paying attention to her surroundings, she began to enumerate the facts she knew about her enemy over and over again. There were unsatisfying few, she realized with a sigh. Nevertheless she wondered what Saitou would say about her information...  
  
"Hey, sweetie!"  
  
Irritated Misao looked up. She had been to too deep in her thoughts that she had not noticed her entrance in a rather uninviting part of the city, a quiet, nearly deserted district on the outskirts, probably home to murderers, bandits, prostitutes ...  
Or to stupid brute men who had nothing in mind but pestering innocent women.  
  
Examining the three roughnecks who had surrounded her and eyed her lecherously, she could not help herself but wrinkle her nose in disgust.   
Was there any conspiracy in the heavens that did not allow her to have some peace of mind for just one afternoon?  
  
"Do you damned freaks have any problem?!" she hissed.  
  
Obviously surprised at the fact that such a sweet and proper looking girl swore at them without any hint of fear, they looked stunned at each other for one moment. Then the tallest of the group, a smutty man in a dirty yukata, began to grin widely. "We are just wondering what a cute one like you is doing here all on her own."  
  
Inwardly she sighed. "I would say that this is none of your business. And now let me pass."  
  
"I don't think so, pretty one." The disgusting grin widened while his small eyes eyed her seemingly fragile body with lust. "We would be stupid to let a sweet angel go ahead again."  
  
One of his friends began to chuckle insinuatingly. "An angel, Yuichirou?" he asked mockingly. "I would rather say she is a whore."   
  
Misao remained stoically quiet. After one whole week with Mibu´s wolf, a lame provocation from such a moron would definitely not get her angry. "It that's your considered opinion, fine with me", she told him in a deceitfully calm voice. "And now go out of my way before I get angry!  
  
The man who had first addressed her, smiled lazily. "Oh, I'm scared, honey", he drawled. "Come on, show us your anger!"  
  
This was her headword.  
Reaching our for the kunais she had hidden under the soft material of her kimono in one single movement, a wicked light began to shine in her eyes. You should be more carefully with your wishes, boy, they could come true!  
  
"Oh, what do you have there? Little knifes?" Negligently he approached her, his intention magnified in his lecherous grin. "Better to put them away, you could hurt someone with them."  
  
"Thanks for the warning", she returned sweetly. After that she gracefully swung forwards and slammed her knee into the most sensitive regions of his body which brought him squirming to the ground while holding his precious parts.  
A smile appeared on her lips. Number one.  
  
The two other men looked speechless at her; but not for long and they started to scream like enraged animals, trying to attack her by charging aggressively forwards.   
  
Misao allowed herself to smirk. This mindless idiots should be no problem for her, she decided, and sent her daggers against them. Being hit, the ill-considered attack was interrupted for a second and the sudden pain made them even more enraged and furious - and therefore even more readable for the ninja girl.  
  
Aiming an painful punch towards one man's shoulder, Misao effortlessly dodged the other one's attack with a kick of her slender legs, while her self-confident smile widened. Ever since that stupid journey began, her had not practiced but nevertheless no one of this rude group stood any chance against her. She had trained too hard over the last three years to be defeated by some street rowdies.  
  
Concentrating only on the motions of her arms and legs, she became more and more engulfed in the rhythm of the irresistible dance that fighting had always been to her.   
  
"You BITCH!" the man she had just attacked yelled loudly.  
  
She smirked sarcastically. "Oh, now I'm hurt!"  
  
Attacking for a second time with her demon kick, she finally brought him down to the ground while already concentrating on his friend.  
  
Then she suddenly stumbled over her kimono and lost her balance for one crucial moment. ´Shit!´  
  
Before she could stand up a foot painfully stepped on her hand. Barely able to suppress a little cry, she looked up to see the roughneck standing over her, a triumphant smile on his face. Oh hell, what should she do...  
  
"Can't I leave you alone for just one afternoon without finding you in a bunch of trouble, Weasel Girl?" a familiar mocking voice suddenly said behind them.  
  
Slowly, very slowly, Misao turned around, not knowing if she should cry   
or laugh. "You?!"  
  
Saitou was casually leaning against the wall of a house, a burning cigarette in his hand and his mouth curled in an unmistakable smirk. "It obviously does seem so."  
  
The man quit his hurting position and headed towards Saitou.   
  
"So the cutie belongs to you?"  
  
Quirking his lips and letting a trail of smoke issuing from the corner of his mouth, the psycho cop eyed him with what seemed to be lightly annoyed boredom. "What if so?"  
  
A dirty grin appeared on the other's ones lips. "I knew she was a whore!"  
  
At this, Misao, who had meanwhile struggled to stand up again, an undertaking which was quite difficult to perform because of the kimono, fell down again. "WHAT are you dump moron calling me?!" she screamed shrilly.  
  
The other one choose to ignore her and gave Saitou a dirty smile. "How much do you want for her?"  
  
The ninja girl was very near a temper tantrum by now. "Listen, you idiot, he would never..."  
  
A wicked smile appeared on the wolf's face. "I honestly must admit that she is not worth very much..."  
  
"What you bastard!"  
  
"...so the price must not be so high. Something worthless, unimportant should be sufficient to pay for her." His dangerous smile widened. "Something like your life for example."  
  
Before his conversation partner was even able to think about an answer, he found himself centimetres over the ground, held in the air only by a merciless skilled hand around his throat, and confronted with cold amber eyes and a dangerous smile.   
  
"So what do you say?" Saitou murmured in a voice low and silken, yet laced with undeniable threat. "Do we have a deal or do you withdraw? By all means I'll oblige."  
  
Struggling to get free, the man obviously was in pain. "Let me...go...", he finally managed to groan.  
  
Saitou´s cold smile widened. "This is exactly what I thought."  
  
With glittering golden eyes, he nonchalantly slammed his fist in the brute's stomach, which made him sink to the ground with a loud moan, before walking towards the still struggling Misao.   
  
Not bothering to lend her an helping hand, he eyed the surroundings and the men lying on the street with a sarcastic expression on his face. "I congratulate you, Weasel Girl. By your fault our carefully arranged camouflage has nearly been destroyed on the very first day. Congratulations."  
  
This was too much!  
  
"By my fault?" she shouted on top of her lungs after finally managing to stand up. "MY fault?! This would never have happened if YOU had not forced me to wear this stupid kimono! If I had just worn my ninja outfit, I would have had no problem with that guy. Stop! If I wore my ninja outfit, he and his psycho friends would have left me in peace from the beginning on!"   
  
Totally unimpressed he returned her furious glance, searching in his pockets for a new cigarette. "Are you just searching for a vehicle to articulate your anger because you failed on eliminating an opponent that was totally under your level or do you also have any actual problems?"  
  
Breathing deeply, she fought to control her temper as he lightened up his found with a flaring match. How could she ever have thought that there were good sides about Saitou?! "No. Problem. At. All." she finally managed to state. "And what the hell are we going to do now?"  
  
A small smirk appeared on Saitou´s angular face. "I wouldn't mind some soba."  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
(1) No, you haven't missed anything, there are no Osaka Oniwabanshuu, they were completely my idea. Hey, it's fiction anyway ^_~! 


	5. Home Sweet Home

Standard Disclaimer: Unfortunately I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the characters but at least the story is mine  
  
First of all I thank you for your reviews! They never fail to encourage me whenever I think that my fics are the worst ever written or when I don't know how to go on with the story!  
  
Like always, I'd like to mention Mara, who helped me with her criticism again, and this time also Priya-chan, who is beta-reading the story! Hopefully, this will be the end of my horrible mistakes! Thank you very, very much for your trouble!!!  
  
Chapter 5: Home sweet home  
  
Saitou cast a long look over the rim of his bowl as he elegantly picked up some of his soba noodles, to his opposite, who poked listlessly in her meal. She was as oblivious to his glance as she was to how carefully she was being stalked by all men entering the small restaurant they had chosen for dinner. He himself, however, was keenly aware of it,   
shooting threatening glances towards her admirers from time to time, clearly indicating to them to leave him and his property in peace ALONE, before examining the girl once more.   
  
Black hair shining with blue overtones, creating a strong contrast to the pale skin, an ever so lustrous flush of good health apparent on her delicate features, red lips and sparkling blue-green eyes whose depths displayed youthful innocence and hot temper at the same time. He could not blame the men for staring at her; the weasel girl had definitely turned into an interesting match since he had first met her. Although, he added bemused, she was still as easy to enrage as ever.  
  
"It's no wonder that you're as thin as a weasel considering how you pick on your food," he finally broke the silence in mocking earnestness.   
  
Throwing a deadly glance over at him, she obviously tried her best not to hurl her chopsticks in his smirking face. "Can't you even let me enjoy my dinner in peace?" she hissed at him. "You can't imagine how much your attitude sucks!"  
  
He merely raised a brow in response. "Since I'm paying for your meal, you're hardly in a position to criticize my attitude, Weasel."  
  
As he calmly continued eating his soba, he felt the girl's temper spark with certain amusement.  
  
"Stop calling me that!"  
  
"Stop acting like one."  
  
Although snorting loudly, she did not return anything and began to make inroads on her soup again, missing the wicked gleam in the wolf's golden eyes. Makimachi Misao had always been an amusing diversion to him, but he hadn't imagined how interesting this journey with her would be. He was a man who was bored quite easily, but that child's caprices and angry outbursts never failed to entertain him or to lighten his mood.   
  
How very different from Tokio she was...  
  
He abandoned the thought quickly. Now was certainly not the time to think about his wife and all the problems connected with her. Better to focus on his mission and only on his mission.  
  
Once more he eyed the ninja girl secretly. They had agreed not to speak about her visit at the local Oniwanbanshuu before they were in the safe privacy of their home, but telling from the sparkling anticipation in her luminous eyes, he could already feel that she brought important information along.  
  
Finishing his noodles, he settled down back, thinking about the Oniwabanshuu and their spy net more distinctfully. In the past, as well as in the present, they were the best at their work - talented, fearless and living to their own code of honor alone like the Shinsengumi. When he had heard about the conspiracy in Shanghai and its secret base in Osaka, he had instantly thought of using the local ninjas for his goals, although he had, of course, never expected the old idiot, Okina, to send his young, over-energetic fledging of all things to him. But when he thought about it, Makimachi Misao had certainly not been the worst choice.  
  
Of course, the girl was way too emotional, most often naïve, and her lack of patience would most probably get her killed some day, but nevertheless she was a skilled ninja and a talented spy. Even her fighting style, which he had just now skeptically observed from the shadows before being forced to interfere, was not as bad as he had assumed. Considering her youth and the fact that nobody had trained her properly since the age of eight, she actually did quite nicely and with a little discipline and self-control, she would probably be formidable.   
  
He frowned and observed her furtive from the corner of his eyes. Being a mediocre fighter was one of the quickest paths to death and he had never been able to witness a waste of good talent. But then, the Weasel Girl, although lacking experience and proper training, had spirit and self-belief, which helped her through her fights.   
  
His eyes narrowed slightly. Yes, she had spirit, but he had the unfaultable impression that it had obviously been crucially damaged somehow since they first met three years ago. Back then, she had never stopped to babble about her precious okashira, but ever since the journey had started, she had not even mentioned his name once. Instead, he sometimes caught her with a strange look of pain and bitterness in her eyes, a look, that   
reminded him of his wife sitting on her window seat, staring into a secret only she could see.  
  
He shook his head and focused back on the girl in front of him. Did something happen between her and Shinomori?  
  
A wicked gleam began to shine in his amber eyes. Or, far worse, did still nothing happen?   
  
"You are abnormally quiet, Weasel Girl", he told her in his usual unconcerned tone. "  
  
The girl raised her head, giving him a burning stare. "You don't know what you want, do you?" she gritted out. "You keep telling me for days that my chatter is getting on your nerves and now you want me to make small-talk?!"  
  
A smirk appeared on Saitou's thin lips. "I definitely did not express the wish to hear your mindless bubbling any more than necessary, I just pointed out that this quietness is rather unusual for you." His eyes met with hers directly. "I wonder what you are thinking about so hard."  
  
As her cheeks began to flush, his smirk widened. "But then the answer is not difficult to give. Am I right when I assume that your thoughts center around a certain tea-drinking icicle sitting in Kyoto?"  
  
The bright light in her eyes faded away abruptly, only leaving a frightened, desolate and empty-eyed child. Again he thought of Tokio.  
  
"Your guess is wrong."  
  
He smirked coldly. "Lying is not your specialty, weasel."  
  
"LISTEN, I DON`T WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT!"  
  
Still eying her mockingly, he searched for a cigarette in his jacket. That had been plain.  
  
Lighting up a match, he thought about Shinomori Aoshi, the man who had caused this whole trouble. As far as he could see, the younger man, although being an excellent   
fighter and a brilliant strategist, was a moron who didn't even know his own soul. It was quite obvious that he had strong feelings for the Weasel but that he had locked up all his emotions so long ago that he would not recognize them for what they were even if they hit him on his stubborn head.  
  
Again he eyed the girl opposite to him secretly. Although he always mocked her about being overly thin, he had to admit that her willowy, slender form and her girlish curves were not unattractive. And in addition to this her brilliant eyes and her full lips... Shinomori was an idiot.  
  
And so was he, he added amusedly about himself, for what the hell was he doing here and wondering about that kid's love life?  
  
Again he inhaled deeply. "You realize that there isn't much sense in stirring in your soup without ever eating something of it, don't you?" he demanded casually.  
  
Angrily, Misao tossed her chopsticks on the table and folded her arms in front of her breasts. "I'm not hungry anyway!"  
  
Calmly Saitou finished his cigarette, before waving a hand to the waitress, his smile pleasant and fixed in place. "Then we can as well pay and go home, I assume."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The horizon was lost in gray mist, hiding the sun from the people on the ship who looked up from time to time, instantly frightened by the vastness around them, and glad about the break they enjoyed on the island's little harbor before continuing their journey to Japan. The ocean around was tumbling in over the shallows, its waves sounding like some presage of doom. Apart from this ever so stoic sound, only the shrill cries of the seagulls broke the silence.  
  
The Phantom was sitting in the bow, his cold eyes fixed on the gray horizon. Fifteen years. Fifteen years and he was finally returning home. He could not quite make out the feeling which was dwelling upon him on this moment; it was a mixture of regret, melancholy and the fierce wish of revenge, the wish to see his long-missed enemy lying on the floor and begging for his life. The Phantom's eyes narrowed. Yes, he wanted to turn the wolf into a whining dog.  
  
Suddenly he looked up. "Keiichi-san. Don't hide like a stalker but come forwards if you want to speak to me."  
  
A humble laughter was heard behind him as a small, stocky man appeared. "You have obviously not lost your old skills, Miburo", he greeted him in a teasing tone.  
  
The Phantom frowned, his eyes darkening in disgust. "Don't call me that! And don't waste my time with your usual pleasantries. Tell me what you have found out about Saitou's whereabouts."  
  
A small smirk appeared on the other one's face, but did not comment on the order. "I am sorry, but it seems that your man has vanished from the face of the earth", he told his boss. "He was living under the name 'Fujita Goro,' a cop in Tokyo, and Kyoto with his wife for a while, but that's all we could find out."  
  
The Phantom settled back, a satisfied smirk on his cold features. "Good."  
  
"Good?" the other one echoed unbelieving. "What the hell is good about that?!"   
  
"Ahou." The smirk even widened. "He has disappeared. That means that he tries to gain momentum against me. And since the Japanese police already found out about our base in Osaka, he's probably already there, waiting like a wolf for his prey. Only that it will be another wolf this time who will face him."  
  
Keiichiro raised an eyebrow. "You actually WANT to fight him? Forgive me for my rudeness, but this is madness!"  
  
A melancholic smile appeared on the other's delicate features. "You may say so."  
  
Madness as a result of the embrace of love and hatred.   
  
"Keiichiro-san?"  
  
The other one still stared at him. "Yes?"  
  
"Find out about all men in Saitou's age who have just settled down in Osaka. Then let me know."  
  
Keiichiro's eyes widened. "But how the hell am I supposed to..."  
  
"Just find out!" the Phantom snapped. Then he sighed. "And go now. I can't stand your sight any longer."  
  
For one moment it seemed like his subordinate still wanted to say something, still wanted to bring some sense into his head, but then he bowed in silence and disappeared again.  
  
The Phantom settled back, his eyes again fixed on the ocean. Sometimes he actually wished that the sea would invade the land and erase every single life on it, including his. There was almost nothing so seductive than the idea of total destruction to him. Almost.  
  
Again he thought of two cold amber eyes, staring at him in disgust, heard the sarcastic yet so silken voice speaking one single word to him. "Ahou."  
  
He closed his eyes in resign. Yes, sometimes love and hatred embraced. Embraced until you could not distinguish them anymore from each other. Until they were equals.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Home sweet home," Misao exclaimed sarcastically after entering the dark house. "Have I already mentioned how much this place sickens me?"  
  
Saitou barely raised an eyebrow. "You have hardly been here for two hours."  
  
"Nevertheless, I don't like it!"  
  
The police officer just shrugged his shoulders, obviously not in the mood to deal with her childish defiance. With his usual long steps he walked towards the lamp to illuminate the house, followed by Misao's slightly narrowed eyes. The lithe movements of a predator, those long lean legs and those muscled shoulders, she could understand how a woman could fall for this psycho cop...  
  
"My secret police has informed me about our friend's newest movements," he said without preamble, bringing her back to reality. "It looks as though he is already moving in order to take control over Japan. This time, the matter won't be solved without any bloodshed. At least not, if your information is not worth something."  
  
She snorted, perhaps a bit too loudly in her embarrassment about her own thoughts. "Don't underestimate the Oniwabanshuu."  
  
"I don't", he returned shortly before sitting down on the windows walk, his golden eyes glittering in the dim light even more than usual.  
  
Misao swallowed a bit over the sight. She could not quite explain it herself, but there was something about Saitou that...   
  
Fiercely she shook her head.  
  
"Well, I think I bring some interesting news with me", she finally said, finding her voice with unsettling breathlessness. "Trust the Oniwabanshuu to find out the most remarkable things."  
  
A sarcastic smirk appeared on the Wolf's angular features. "My, aren't we arrogant?"  
  
"You might say so now," she returned automatically but without real heart. Eyeing him openly, she wondered if he really was as unconcerned as he pretended to be or if he was secretly curious about her news. But then curiosity was not a character trait of Mibu's Wolf. Suddenly an idea popped into her head. "May I ask you a question before I begin my report?"  
  
Flaring up a cigarette, he settled back, his cold eyes still fixed on her. "I don't see how I could hinder you from that."  
  
She did not bother to pay attention to his sarcastic tone. "It's about the Bakumatsu.   
Why does it still affect people so much, though it's been over for almost fifteen years? Why can't they simply forget about the past and begin something new?   
  
Saitou raised an eyebrow, but this time one of surprise, not mockery. For a moment he stared at her steadily, with a speculative, thoughtful look, that send a shiver down her spine, but then he cleared his throat. "You are probably too young to remember the Edo Era very well, Makimachi, so all efforts to explain its meaning to you would be futile." He took a deep drag from his cigarette, his expression still serious. "It was a different time, not at all compatible to your Meiji and for many people it is all they still have. If they would lose their connection to the past, they would not have any reason to live on   
in the new time." Again there was this smallest hint of bitterness in his eyes which she had already discovered once when she had asked him about his wife. But then the impression faded as he continued coldly. "But then life means change. People who are too weak to face this truth, don't deserve any better."   
  
In a flash she saw Aoshi before her inner sight, sitting in self-chosen loneliness in his temple, his ice blue eyes seeing the events of the past again and again, unable to escape the bitter memory, unable to accept her love...   
  
"And what happens to the people you consider as too weak?" she asked even further, surprising herself with the bitterness of her voice. "You just leave them back in their pain and don't look back anymore? That, too, is cruel!"  
  
Saitou smiled coldly as he casually stubbed his cigarette out. "That's the way life is."   
  
"But what about happiness?" Misao flung back, her hands balled into fists. "Everybody wants to be happy. So why can't these people just try to find a new happiness in their life?!"   
  
Saitou laughed a mirthless laugh. His golden eyes lied with unnerving intensity on her. "How very young you are," he whispered, his low silken voice making her frown. Then he shook her head. "Why do you ask anyway?"  
  
"Because this story centers around the past", she returned. "Or, to be more accurate, it centers around you."  
  
The wolf's attention sharpened, and during any other moment Misao would have smiled in satisfaction at the unaccustomed pleasure of being the focus of the psycho cop's interest. But now she only sighed tired and reported him Hashimoto's observations in detail.  
  
By the time she was finished Saitou had pushed away from the doorway and was now standing before her, his body tense. "An incident in the Boshin Wars, you say?" he asked in anticipation. "And this ominous phantom tried to copy me?"  
  
Misao nodded, irritated by the warmth she was experiencing from him being so near to her. "That's what Hashimoto-san said. And one can usually trust his judgments."  
  
Saitou's golden eyes narrowed. Without any prior warning he suddenly turned on his heel and strode for the door. "Don't leave the house until I get back," he ordered over his shoulder.   
  
Then the door was shut.  
  
Misao watched with her mouth open how the ungrateful bastard disappeared. That was it? After she had revealed all her information to him, he simply left her alone in this damned rat hole?!  
  
With one of her usual over-hysterical battle cries she shot four of her kunais at the door which had just closed behind him. "ASSHOLE!" she shouted. "You don't know how much I hate you, Saitou Hajime!!!!"  
  
After hitting the floor violently with her fists and cursing him to eternal redemption for half an hour, she felt a bit better.  
  
************************************************************************ 


	6. A Wolf and his Women

Standard Disclaimer: Unfortunately I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the characters but at least the story is mine  
  
Guess three times whom I'd like to mention now. Exactly, like always my thanks go to Mara and Priya-chan! I don't know what I would do without you two. =^_^=  
  
  
Chapter 6: A wolf and his women  
  
The sun was already deep in the sky when the door to the huge house suddenly opened. Misao, who lied fully dressed on her futon and stared at the ceilings, looked up sharply. She had been alone for an entire sleepless night and a great part of a completely restless day, and her mood was correspondingly bad.  
  
"About time you got back," she hissed at Saitou immediately after he entered the room. "If you had made me hang around here much longer, I would have gone mad!"  
  
Saitou pushed away from the door and moved over to her side. "Nice to see you, too, Weasel" he murmured dryly.  
  
"VERY funny!" Misao sputtered, trying to recapture her frustration and anger. The house that had felt so empty and frightening around her all night and day, now seemed full of life, as if its center was restored - and this did not please her at all! "Where the hell were you?"  
  
"I was unavoidably delayed," he dismissed.  
  
"That's it?" Misao asked incredulously. She was waiting for him for half an eternity and he was unavoidably delayed?!  
  
Stupid Shinsengumi bastard!   
  
Not liking the helpless feeling of lying on her back while arguing with the sharp eyed cop, she forced herself into a sitting position. "What if something important had happened during your absence? Have you ever thought of that possibility?!"  
  
Saitou flicked her a slightly contemptuous glance. "You wouldn't be working for me if you couldn't take care of yourself."  
  
She looked stunned. Had this been a ...a compliment?! Coming from the psycho wolf? God, it was really not her day.  
  
Saitou leaned himself against the wall, taking a deep draw on his cigarette. "I had to investigate a bit on my own and you would have only been in my way."  
  
"I WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT?!"  
  
He barely looked at her. "I am able to hear well enough, Weasel, so please don't torment my ears with your childish out-burst."  
  
Her eyes began to burn dangerously. One day she would kill him for his superior attitude and his sarcasm, that was for sure, but now she was curious about the reason behind his 'unavoidable delay'.  
  
"Have you found out anything about this Phantom?" she finally asked, trying not to show him her curiosity.  
  
"Nanjo," he replied shortly. "His name is Nanjo Katsuhiko."  
  
"Nanjo? How do you know?" she demanded, still pretending indifference.  
  
Eying her defiant pose with a smirk, Saitou emitted a cloud of smoke. "Your story about the incident in the Boshin Wars gave me the idea. After investigating the entire night, I finally heard about a man with a scar on his forehead arriving at Osaka Harbour a few nights ago, who sent several men to search for my whereabouts. No doubt that it was Nanjo."  
  
"Let me guess, it was you who gave him this scar?" Misao snorted loudly. "And now after fifteen years he comes back to Japan wanting revenge for it? What an idiot!"  
  
"For once I agree with you." Saitou shook his head in mocked disapproval. "Nanjo had always been a moron but the last few years have obviously affected the rest of his underdeveloped brain."  
  
Barely able to suppress laughter at this, Misao stood up and began to walk up and down in front of the sharp-eyed cop. "But why the hell is he so obsessed with you? I mean you normally don't plan to take over a whole country just to get your revenge at a single man!"  
  
This time it was Saitou who snorted. "Gratefully enough I never understood the moron's way of thinking. But already back in the Bakumatsu he was obsessed with the weird idea of becoming my clone. Okita-kun always considered this obsession the reason he turned traitor."  
  
"Is he any good as a swordsman?"  
  
Saitou's eyes narrowed as he considered the question. "He had no natural talent but since he practiced day and night, he developed some skill. Nevertheless, he is an idiot."  
  
"If you say so," the girl muttered sarcastically.   
  
Saitou gave her a slightly amused look. "Didn't your keepers ever teach you to shut up when adults talk, Weasel?"  
  
When he got no response but a dark look, he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, nevertheless he turned against us and the rest is history."  
  
"You fought him during the Boshin Wars and gave him that scar, but since you didn't get the chance to kill him, he flew the country," Misao summarized from Hashimoto"s story and the little pieces of information she got from Saitou.   
  
"Clever, Weasel," he congratulated her with an expression of wry amusement. Then he shook his head in disapproval. "Nanjo was the vainest creature I have ever met in my life and therefore nearly had a nervous breakdown because of the scratch on his forehead. One I gave him during our sparring. He had never been worthy of becoming a miburo."  
  
"As if that's such a compliment," the girl shot in. Now that her curiosity was satisfied, she remembered her earlier anger again. The bastard didn't think that he could make her wait for such a goddamn time and get away that easily, did he? "I mean who would actually WANT to work together with the likes of you?! That would take real masochists! I'll never understand how you found a wife that can endure you!"  
  
Saitou lifted the burning cigarette to his thin lips. "Perhaps you lack imagination."  
  
But she wasn't hearing him any more. His wife! What if...  
  
"Saitou," she began hastily. "What if he finds out about the whereabouts of Tokio-san? If this man is as bad as you say, he might...oh my god, you must warn her!"   
  
Completely at ease, Saitou settled back. "I don't think so."  
  
That stopped her short. "Huh?"  
  
His amber eyes looked into hers with merciless intensity. "Well, I honestly doubt that Nanjo would be able to harm a woman who has been buried for over a year."  
  
Misao felt like she was hit by a ton of bricks. Unbelievingly she stared at him, but his expression spoke of complete honesty - and of equal coldness.  
  
Tokio...was dead?  
  
Staring helplessly into his cold amber eyes, she had no clue what to say. Hell, what COULD anyone possible say to a husband that had lost his wife?  
  
"I'm sorry," she finally whispered. "Really, I'm so sorry."  
  
Saitou smirked. "I'll savor this knowledge."  
  
"I did not mean it like..." She made an awkward attempt to come closer to the wolf but stopped when she saw the look on his face.   
  
"In case you haven't realized it by now, let me be the first to tell you that you're really untalented at this," he said dryly. Eying her ironically, he took a drag on his cigarette. "I hope you have satisfied your perverse sense of duty now so we can go on with our work."   
  
"But I...well I...I mean I am..."  
  
He just rolled his eyes. "Weasel, stop stuttering on my account. No words of you can change the state of her being dead - even if they were halfway articulated."  
  
Misao stood stunned. "But..."  
  
"But what?" Coolly he raised a brow. "Please don't tell me that you still want to give me a lame bit of advice about how time heals all wounds."   
  
The girl slowly became aware that her fingernails were digging into the soft skin of her palms. His own wife had died and Saitou spoke about it as if it didn't matter at all? Although she had always known the wolf as a ruthless and harsh man, she would never have expected such cruelty from him.   
  
And suddenly an idea occurred to her, an idea so terrible that her chest seemed to explode any moment.  
  
Maybe Aoshi would speak about her in the same manner if she died.  
  
Her face felt like it was burning while her heart began to pound painfully against her chest. Up to this point she had always thought that behind his cool facade Aoshi was secretly craving for love and forgiveness but looking in Saitou's unconcerned, cold eyes, the painful thought occurred to her that she maybe couldn't get through to him was simply because he didn't love her.  
  
He didn't love her.  
  
With his usual indifference, Saitou sat down opposite to her. "Now that we've cleared this up, we can go on with the..." suddenly he stopped, his eyes narrowing. "What's the matter?"  
  
Tears shimmered in the girl's wide ocean-colored eyes. "You heartless bastard," she whispered before running out of the room.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"KANSATSU TOKBIKUNAI!!!"  
  
With a loud cry she flared five of her kunais against the wall of the house, barely aiming but more expressing her anger and her frustration with this training. She had already done so for two hours but still felt no relief at all.   
  
He did not love her. He did not love her. The thoughts were running on and on like nasty children's teasing.   
  
With another yell, more compatible to a sob than to a battle cry, she began to train her kicks and punches more forcefully.  
  
This is for your stupidity! She aimed a punch at the air, at images only she could see.  
This is for binding yourself to man who will never return your feelings! Again she reached out for her kunai. This is for your foolish hopes!  
  
She was so engulfed in the rhythm of it that it took her several minutes to realize that someone was right behind her.  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she turned around. Saitou was just standing at the entrance of the house watching her, the faint beginnings of a smirk on his thin lips.   
  
Pretending to be busy with her training, she tried to ignore him but after about ten seconds she lost control. "Don't you have something to do?" she barked, "Like howling at the moon or something?"  
  
His smirk widened. "Actually I thought we could spend some quality time together," he replied with mock earnestness and leaned back on the wall.  
  
"What a sweet idea!" Misao hissed and began to gather her kunais, wondering what the hell Saitou was up to. He was just standing there very calmly, his angular features set in an ironic smirk.   
  
"Are you interested in hearing what I've noticed about you?" he finally asked, his eyes still set on her.  
  
"That I can't stand the sight of you perhaps?"  
  
Saitou took a deep draw on his cigarette before sending it to the floor, a movement at which the girl raised her head in anticipation. She knew him well enough by now to tell that this gesture always preceded an insult he was particularly proud of having come up with. "Despite your outer appearance, you are still a child who hides its insecurity behind a wall of false bravado."  
  
"Oh, and wanna know what I found out about you, Saitou?" she retorted. "You're a heartless bastard and that your wife should actually be glad that she isn't forced to deal with you anymore!"  
  
To her surprise, this unforgivable remark prompted only low silken laughter.   
  
"What's so damn funny?!"  
  
"You." His cold amber eyes laid with distressing intensity on her. "You are not only totally childish, immature and incapable to control yourself, but also unbelievably stupid."  
  
Finally anger overwhelmed her. Stepping towards the wolf, who was still waiting with that satisfied smile on his lips, she clenched her right fist in frustration, but he just danced to the side when she reached him, easily avoiding the clumsy attack.   
  
"The first thing you should have been taught when learning how to fight is to watch your adversary and find his weak point," he told her with complete ease. "You must train more, Weasel, or else every idiot will be able to defeat you."   
  
A little smirk formed itself on Saitou's lips. Her weak point was far too easy to spot; even a complete idiot like Nanjo would be able to find it. If he wanted to bring his mission to a smooth end, he would have to teach her some lessons in life, it seemed.  
  
Misao pressed her lips together and stared at some imaginary point behind him, trying to ignore the pain in her chest. Even as an Omnitsu she was a failure! "Why don't you simply leave me in peace?!"  
  
"Since I don't believe that Nanjo will take into consideration whether you are reveling in self-pity or not, I somehow have to talk sense into your stubborn head," he explained in that same calm voice. As she tried to lash out, his right hand closed upon her throat before she had the opportunity to react. Yes, time for some lessons. "And since words or defeat aren't enough to do so, I guess I will have to try other means."  
  
Misao's eyes widened. "What the hell-" A hard mouth muffled her exclamation and sealed their lips together. The next thing she knew was that the world was spinning and she was encircled in arms like bands of steel, feeling the pressure of a hard chest beneath her cheek. Terrified she drove her left knee up, aiming for his groin, but there was no strength in the blow and he easily avoided it. Panic, refusal and denial washed over her, but even so she felt her body melting into his embrace and it was only the support of his arms that kept her standing.  
  
If only it was Aoshi who was holding her...  
  
She felt tears come to her eyes, and in a last desperate attempt, she lashed out and slapped him on the face.   
  
He didn't even feel for the bruise but continued to stare at her with those icy, pitiless golden eyes.  
  
She couldn't help it, but she felt sobs rising up her throat.   
  
"Yes," she heard his voice. "That's your weak spot. I honestly don't care for your personal problems but since you are of absolutely no use to me in this whiny state, we are going to have a little talk about your affectations concerning this matter."  
  
Feeling an incurable mixture of shame, anger and bitterness, she cried at him in a hoarse, broken voice. "Damn you, Miburo Bastard! You want to hear about my problem? Well, you and Aoshi-sama, you're both incapable of any human emotion and I'm sick of it! Do you even know how it is to care deeply for someone who simply doesn't love you back? Do you have the slightest idea how that feels? For you I'm just a little child but you know what? I give up, I..."  
  
Her voice faltered as sobs overwhelmed her.   
  
He didn't love her, he didn't love her, the nasty children's teasing started again.  
  
When she could speak again, she didn't even feel the tears run down her face. "I really mean it, Saitou," she whispered. "I realized it when you spoke about your wife's death. Aoshi would react exactly the same way if I died, but yet I was naive enough to think..." She closed her eyes. "All I ever do is trouble to him."  
  
The sound of her voice faded into silence as she tried to control her ragged breathing. It was done. She had said it out loud. He did not love her. He never would.  
  
Saitou looked blankly at her before he sighed resigned. "I won't tell you this twice, so don't waste my time and listen, Makimachi." Noting the tense line of her chin, a small smirk appeared on his thin lips. "You think that your icicle doesn't care for you but did you know that he only agreed to come back to the Aoiya because Himura told him about your tears for him? Or that he didn't commit suicide back with that black-dressed clown of Yukishiro Enishi's group, because he wanted to return to you in one piece?"   
  
She stared at him, not comprehending anything at all. Was he saying that Aoshi cared for her after all? That he didn't reject her completely?  
  
No.  
  
No, he was wrong. He didn't understand. The coldness Aoshi showed towards her, the denial in his eyes whenever she approached him, the way he didn't let her near, that was no way of hiding love.  
  
But then he did come back, didn't he? And he hadn't committed suicide with Gein, had he?  
  
Her whole body was shaking, as if fevered. Could it be? Could it really be?  
  
While eying her intently, Saitou began to search for a new cigarette in his pockets, adding in that same quiet voice, "Don't believe that I tell you this because I feel pity for you. Like I said before, I just cannot tolerate that somebody working for me loses himself in self-pity."  
  
If the whole situation had not been so very surreal, Misao would have smiled at that statement - it was just too typical of the cop. But her head was still spinning and she could feel her lips bruised from his rough kiss. Staring helplessly at him, she felt her cheeks blushing, finally realizing what they had been doing moments ago. Why had he...  
  
"Saitou?" she asked shyly. "Would you...would you tell me something about your wife? Please?"  
  
He eyed her sharply for a moment, then he sighed with a quiet air of exasperation. "If you insist."  
  
"What...what was she like?"  
  
He thought about it for a minute. "Beautiful," he finally answered, his bitter golden eyes focused on the sky. "I have never met another woman as beautiful as her." But then he shook his head in denial, before turning to her with hard intensity. "But, then, her beauty had never served her well."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
Sitting down beside her on the steps, he took a deep drag on his cigarette. "Tokio had never been an energetic, lively person like you. I suppose that she had already been crucially damaged long before we were married by the Bakufu, but although I tried, I never found out what happened to her back then."  
  
She looked at him with widened eyes. "Why didn't you simply ask her?"  
  
He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly. "We all have our pain and bitterness, and silly questions won't change it. Besides, we never were what you would call a happy couple. No matter what I did, if I bought her beautiful garments, if I hurt her, or if I left her for months, she would not respond to me in any way, so I eventually stopped trying."  
  
For a moment he looked absent-minded, as if the bare horizon revealed more to him than it did to the girl, as if he saw something in the clouds that Misao missed. Then he stood up. "And now we should go back to our work since Nanjo won't stop out of pity for our personal problems." Not bothering to turn around, he added, "And about that little inconvenience. I hope you won't begin to act like a stupid teenage girl because over it. It was just the only possible way to make you listen to me for once."  
  
For one moment Misao stared stunned at his muscular back. Her first kiss, a LITTLE INCONVENIENCE?!  
  
Cursing at him loudly, she began to hurry after him, mayhem and murder in her eyes.  
  
That insufferable, INSUFFERABLE man!  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Pretty. That was Nanjo's first impression of the girl. He had headed to this place immediately after learning about Saitou's location, not wanting to know what had been told to him. But here it was, the proof: Saitou Hajime, once the admired captain of the Shinsengumi's third unit, the feared wolf of Mibu who would reach his goals no matter what, and who killed without the slightest afterthought, was screwing a girl half his age.  
  
His eyes wandered in-between the two figures sitting on the steps. Seeing Saitou hurt him but then he had expected it to. Outwardly, the wolf hadn't changed much over the years; He had still the same arrogant posture, the same cold amber eyes and the same unconcerned smirk.  
  
His eyes focused with burning jealousy on the fragile, yet feminine, figure at his side. A girl, not yet a woman, seemingly made out of whitest marmot with luminous eyes somehow reminding him of jewels...this was the kind of person who now attracted the wolf? How different from Tokio she was!  
  
Saitou Tokio.  
  
Astonishingly enough, he had never been jealous of the woman, who had been married to his adored captain in the midst of the Bakumatsu, not for one minute in his life, but then the tender-voiced, fragile being with her innocent, imploring eyes had always been too ravishing for the desire or the envy of men. He still remembered her and her relationship to Saitou very well. They had been like fire and ice, like two elements that could never get near each other without hurting the other one. Political marriages were most often   
unhappy but in this special case, unhappiness was the very substance of the union since it was the only feeling next to melancholy Tokio had seemed capable of.  
  
A little nostalgic smile appeared on his lips. Tokio, everyday after finishing the household chores in the Shinsengumi headquarters, she would sit by the windows and staring into nothing as if the world were not real to her, as if she was searching for one perfect setting that she alone could find; only now and then she would play a bit on her shamisen, the music bitter-sweet and lustrous, ever building to a climax which would never come. One could not help but feel pity for the broken little thing with her beautiful yet lightless eyes and her never smiling but adorable full lips.  
  
Pity her and her husband who had been bound to this strange woman, whom he would never fully possess, or know, or understand. And Saitou had tried in his own way. Every so often he had bought her some clothing, a kimono, an obi, or some other present, but if he did not open them for her, they remained untouched. She simply lived in her own world which her husband was no part of. Saitou and Tokio, two had been a tragedy, that was for sure.   
  
Again he looked to this pretty little girl who was sitting next to Saitou and listening anxiously to him. His hands balled to fists.  
  
Whoever she was, he would not tolerate that she made the wolf happy. 


	7. Weasel to rescue

Standard Disclaimer: Unfortunally I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the characters but at least the story is mine.  
  
  
I am really, really sorry for the delay, but the bitter truth is that I lacked both inspiration and motivation. I hope you will still continue to read this unworthy fic of mine. I also promise that I will be faster with the following parts!  
Another thing I want you to know is that Priya-chan didn´t have the time to beta-read this chapter, so you might find a few (or many) mistakes. Feel free to keep them ^^!!!  
Like always I thank Mara for her helpful advice! You´re the best!!!!  
  
  
Chapter 7: Weasel to rescue  
  
The Weasel was avoiding him.  
It didn't come much as a surprise to Saitou but nevertheless it bothered him more than reasonable. Not that he would admit it, even to himself.  
  
She did her work, even better and more carefully than before, visited the Osaka Oniwabanshuu several times for endless long discussions and came back with interesting information about Nanjo and the way he lived and fought in the last fifteen years, but he could not fail to notice that his sheer presence had begun to make her feel uncomfortable. But then he could hardly fault her for that. Misao´s behaviour was proof enough that the kiss had been a necessary mean to wake her up from her whiny state of mind. But although not having her usual non- stop senseless blabbering around should be a pleasant novelty, he somehow missed her earlier childish temper-tantrums. Life was far more boring without them.  
  
Shaking his head he returned his attention to the report he had just getting from one of his sources. It was...unsatisfying to say the least. Nanjo was near, already in the same city and nevertheless it was impossible to spot him. He was waiting in the dark, waiting as patiently as a predator for his prey.   
  
Saitou smirked. Well, that idiot had forgotten that he was a predator himself.  
  
With his usual fluid movements, he stood up and folded the report carefully. His golden eyes narrowed as he examined the position of the sun. It was time to go back to his stupid Weasel Girl, who was most probably already waiting for him.  
  
Unbidden, a sarcastic little smile appeared on his thin features and lightening a cigarette up, he stood up, shaking his head in disbelief, as his thoughts wandered to her again. No matter how happy-go-lucky she was most of the time, there was also something of the wolf in her, something wild and lonely that reminded him of himself, only that he had lost the innocence she possessed a very long time ago. That meant, he added with a smirk, if he ever was in possession of it which he doubted.  
  
He still chewed over these thoughts as he finally arrived at the huge house. "Weasel, I am...", he stopped in midsentence, his eyes narrowing.  
  
The room laid in complete chaos. Restless all of the furniture was smashed by some cruel hand and the carpet was all trampled while the drapery had been stripped away mercilessly. With narrowing eyes Saitou noticed a sticky pool of blood cooling on the floor, blood that was already colouring a little piece of paper with an address written on it.  
  
With a twitch in his jaw, he picked the paper up, not caring about the blood, and crumpled it up in his hand.  
  
It was a trap, as clearly as ever one was set up. Obviously Nanjo had used his absence to overwhelm the girl, thinking he would try to rescue his "mistress."  
  
A thoughtful expression appeared on his thin features as he considered his options. This was most probably his only possibility to get Nanjo into his reach. But then he should and could not forget the Weasel.  
  
*You know, guys like you just know the way of the sword and nothing else, but there is something kenjutsu can't give you! Kaoru-san and Kenji have shown this to Himura. They have shown him something his damned sword could not -happiness!*  
  
He snarled in disapprove.  
  
Happiness. A silly, unnecessary and betraying feeling only a fool, or worse, a woman would wish for. Perhaps even Tokio in her own self-chosen world had longed for happiness, who knew, but for sure she never had Makimachi Misao´s faith. If there was one thing that he envied the girl for, it would be her naive belief that happiness was the most self-evident truth.  
  
Slowly he stepped out his cigarette, a cold amber fire in his eyes and against all sense he decided that Nanjo would die twenty deaths for every second she suffered.  
  
After all nobody fooled around with Mibu´s Wolf.   
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Misao counted silently until ten. Then she breathed in and out, concentrating only on her inner calmness.  
  
When it all didn't help, she began to scream loudly and uncontrolled and felt instantly better. *So much for meditation, Aoshi-sama.*  
  
It was unbelievable, unbelievable and grotesque, and if she were not so afraid that she should not see any other day, she would probably laugh about the absurdity of all this. Was it just her or had her life turned to an never-ending streak of bad luck ever since this crazy Ex-Shinsengumi had made her leave the Aoiya? Not only that he had dragged her through half of Japan, only to strand in a city where she had to play his concubine, he had also stole her first kiss in a freakish attempt to toughen her and now, to top it all, he had made this crazy freak Nanjo kidnap her.  
  
Damn you, Miburo bastard!  
  
Near another hysteric outburst, she tried again to lay still, not to fight, to struggle or to scream, as if it were her choice to be on a filthy chair, her hands and feet chained with loops of a strong tape. After all, there was no sense in deliberate efforts to break her boundaries, this Nanjo knew his business very well.  
  
Nanjo.  
  
Misao still could not believe that this man had overcame her from behind and brought her here, but the dizziness in her head and the ache of her bones was proof enough. Again she shuddered. It seemed that he was far more dangerous than she or Saitou had suspected.  
  
Closing her eyes, she tried to picture the wolf, to bring him up like an image on her mind. Saitou would not let her down, would he?  
  
*Stop it, Misao. You are not speaking about Himura, but about crazy, pitiless, idiotic Saitou. Who are you to think that Mr. Wolf would come to rescue you? He had made his point clear that you are just a stupid kid to him.*  
  
Closing her eyes, she felt this realization make her heart ache more than reasonable before the sound of the key in the lock jolted her again.  
  
*Kami-sama, I know that I don't talk to you very often, but please have mercy on me. I just don't want to die yet. Not before I declared my love to Aoshi-sama. Not before I told Saitou that...well whatever, but please don't let me die here.*  
  
"Sorry for the delay, dear."  
  
She looked up and stared into two large glistening eyes, cold and rigid as eyes could be, who smiled down at her sarcastically. "It is not a sign of good manners to let a lady wait, but I hope that you understand my situation. I still have lots of preparation for your lover's visit to perform."  
  
"You are so sick", she whispered, still staring at his exquisitely shaped face whose only disgrace was the ugly scar on his forehead. Then she gained back her consciousness. "And for the hundredths time, Saitou is NOT my lover! How often do I still have to tell you this, you freak?!"  
  
To her surprise he laughed, his voice soft and silken. "Such temper", he murmured. She caught her breath as his long slim fingers suddenly reached up and grabbed her chin, tilting her head back. "But will do you still speak so boldly when I slowly rip your pretty little face into pieces?"  
  
Anger raised in her, hot and uncontrollable as she felt his hands on her skin. "Well, try me!" she hissed at him. "But before you do so, I'd like to know what exactly I will be killed for! But then you are just an obsessed idiot whoselogic might prove absolutely insane!  
  
He laughed again, his eyes glittering with unmistakable amusement, and all of a sudden a playfully cruel smile appeared on his lips. "I doubt that you would understand, darling dear", he mused softly. "But well, why not kill some time and explain a few things to you?"  
  
When the girl did not respond, he chuckled and stepped a bit back. "Are you sulking? Well, in a way I can understand you. For you shall not die for your sins, but for the heartlessness of a man, who has never cared how many people he destroyed with his own scruplesness."  
  
Raising her chin challenging, Misao shot a devastating glance towards him. "There is not much logic in making such a theatre about a man you think so low of, don't you think?"  
  
To her surprise, Nanjo's cool expression changed with these words, leavingbehind nothing but a deep weariness. "I can't change it", he returned, suddenlysounding very calm. "I was so young, I admired him so much and all I wanted was a bit attention, a little sign that he cared whether I lived or died, but Saitou Hajime never cared for anybody or anything besides his duty. His lack of interest has destroyed me, and I shall not forgive him that." For one moment he seemed to look through the girl, staring at some setting he alone could see. "I had never known anything stable in the world before my family forced me to join   
the Shinsengumi and then I met him, Saitou Hajime, the captain of third unit, a wolf, as wild and cruel as ever one have been. Brutal he was, scrupleness he was, but so sure of himself, so mercilessly self-conscient. Can you imagine how this untameable man impressed the little child that I still was with my fifteen years?"  
  
As she only stared at his with widened eyes, he laughed bitterly. "Of course you can't. You are one of those who will always win over their fortunes."  
  
For the blink of a second, Misao saw Aoshi in front of her inner eye, shutting her out of his world without even giving her a chance to reach him and against herself she felt an odd mixture of disgust and compassion for the man in front of her. "You don't imagine", she murmured. Then she shook her head violently. "But if you grew so fond of him, why the hell could you ever betray him?"  
  
"Because I loved him more than anyone else", he explained calmly. "This was why I could hate him more than anyone, too."  
  
"This isn't very logical, isn't it?"  
  
"It is. Let me give you a lesson about the world, little girl: Love and hatred are just tow coins of the same medal. They are not so far from each other as you perhaps imagine."  
  
Again Misao shook her head, trying to forget the image of Aoshi in her head. "I still say that you are sick! Why haven't you simply live on after leaving Japan behind? Why have you continued to live for a man who could not care less about you?"  
  
*You could ask yourself the same question.*  
  
To her horror she felt tears dwelling up in her and bit herself hard on the lips. *That's not the time to behave like a little baby, Makimachi Misao!*  
  
His eyes were bitter as he finally answered her question. "I tried. Believe me, I tried but all I wanted was to...", he stopped shortly as if he was realizing it himself just now. "I wanted to see him...sharply...painfully...Again andagain I thought of it...like a thing cursed...That is my only reason for existence." The smile disappeared on his lips as he continued with sudden rage. "And that is what waits for us at the end of the road: To kill each other until one of us draws a last breath. That is - after all - our destiny."  
  
She stared into his eyes, whose expression suddenly matched her own.  
"Well, sorry to tell you this, but he will not show up", she finally told him, quieter than before. "He is not dump enough to fall for your trick and I...I am not that important to him. To be quite honest, I am of absolute *no* importance to him."  
  
Again the thought hurt more than she could explain to herself.  
  
"Don't underestimate yourself." His eyes were an odd mixture of sympathy and weariness this time. "I have seen the way he looks at you. It's the way helooked at Okita-kun or Kondou-sama, people he considered worthy of his respect and friendship. It's even a little like it was with Tokio, just without the pain." A nostalgic little smile appeared on Nanjo´s lips. "With Tokio it was always the pain."  
  
Despite herself, Misao felt curiosity dwelling in her. "You knew Tokio-san?"  
  
"I knew her secrets as she knew mine", Nanjo replied mysteriously. His eyes veiled a bit. "Sweet, broken littlee Tokio-san. So beautiful, sopretty and so beyond any help or comfort. You know, she always reminded me of a bird with broken wings. I wonder..." The cruel smile returned to his lips as if it had never vanished. "I wonder how he could fall for you after being in love with a woman like Tokio."  
  
For one moment the girl was speechless. Then her blue-green eyes sparkled with sudden heat. "So you wonder why one could fall for me?" she snapped at him, totally forgetting that Saitou had not done so in reality. "Well, wanna hear MY opinion? In contrast to Tokio-san or to you pitiful freak I give life a try! I mean, look at yourself. You are just living in the past and endlessly lamenting about what a poor unloved person you are! That's no wonder for you are egocentric, stupid and absolutely insane!! If you were half the man Saitou is, you would have found a place in the Meiji Government. Life isn't a straight path, you know, cause sometimes you walk across rough mountains and then walk back. I can't stand people who give up without even trying!"  
  
Nanjo´s eyes flashed. "What the hell do you know, little bitch?" he hissed at her. "You don't know anything about my situation!"  
  
"Oh no?!" she yelled back. "So let me tell you something about my life, freak! I have spent the last three years trying and trying to get just some little attention from the person I love most, but he was too busy drinking tea and meditating to notice me! What do you say now?!"  
  
"I say that you're..."  
  
"Seems as if you two are enjoying your company", a familiar mocking voice suddenly said behind them.  
  
Both of them turned around in a flash.  
  
Misao´s eyes widened. "Sa...Sa...Sa...", she stuttered in a strangled voice.  
  
"What's the matter, Weasel Girl? Have you lost your voice? Not that this would be a bad thing."  
  
It couldn't be true. But then a hallucination would not be so unnervingly sarcastic, so her eyes were not playing a trick on her. Which meant that Saitou was actually casually leaning against the door, a cigarette in hand and his mouth curled in an unmistakable smirk.  
  
"Saitou!" she exclaimed finally.  
  
Looking into his narrow amber eyes and the lean, fierce bones of his face, she felt tears dwelling up in her.  
  
Why did you come, you idiot? 


	8. Showdown for the Wolf

Standard Disclaimer: Unfortunately I neither own Rurouni Kenshin nor the characters but at least the story is mine  
  
Again great thanks to Mara. What would I do without you?  
  
  
  
Chapter 8: Showdown for the Wolf  
  
Breathlessly Misao watched how Saitou slowly stepped from the shadow of the doorway, his drawn sword gleaming in the dim light of the afternoon. The tip of his cigarette glowed bright for a moment then he quirked his lips and a trail of smoke issued from the corner of his mouth. "Nanjo", he greeted his old enemy casually. "Still throwing tantrums like a spoiled brat as I see."   
  
"Hajime-san." Nanjo´s eyes narrowed at the sight of the weapon. "You are not loosing any time as I see."  
  
"I never did."  
  
A little smile, half nostalgic, half cruel appeared on the younger man's full lips. "True enough", he mused softly. "But I wonder what you would do if I called for twenty or thirty of my best-trained men now. Would your fighting skills be good enough to kill them all?"  
  
His only response was a sardonic smirk. "You and I know well enough that there are no men hiding here", the wolf stated coolly. "It's just you and me."  
  
Misao could almost feel Nanjo´s surprise at this answer, but his voice did not loose even a bit of his silkiness. "Oh? Why are you so sure of that?"  
  
The older man shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Considering your obsession   
with revenge, it was an easy guess."   
  
Then he lifted his sword in his typical gatotsu position. "And now that I'm here, we will settle matters once and for all."  
  
Again the Omnitsu girl caught her breath but to her enormous surprise Nanjo just began to chuckle. "You really never change, don't you, Hajime-san?" he scoffed at his former captain. "You are always the same, whichever age it may be. How does the poet say: ´Strive as we may for a moment of tranquillity, it is always the same. For we are no more than clay dolls, sculpted by God.´"  
  
The Ex-Shinsengumi captain snored, still in his fighting position.   
"Don't call me a puppet, Nanjo, when you are the one dangling from someone   
else's strings."  
  
"Dangling from someone's else's strings?" Nanjo rose an eyebrow. "Me?"  
  
His opponent's eyes gleamed coldly. "Well, just look at yourself! And then try to remember the man you were fifteen years ago, a man of my unit, a wolf of Mibu, feared and respected all over Japan. You might have been overly naive back then, but at least you weren't a complete idiot." He pointed towards him with the tip of his sword. "Now look at you, Nanjo, completely controlled by your perverse wish of revenge. This wish has disgraced your face far more than my sword."  
  
Nanjo´s eyes began to shine dangerously. "Don't think that I don't know what you are doing here. You're just trying to make me loose my control over myself!"  
  
"Which was always a pathetically easy thing to do."  
  
"Cunning bastard!" Misao couldn't help a mental shiver as she saw the corner of Nanjo's mouth curl upward in a faint, blood-chilling smile. Then he suddenly pointed at her, a vicious light in his eyes. "But you've forgotten the most important thing! I still have the girl!"  
  
Saitou shook his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, fine for you."  
  
"WHAT?!" Misao and Nanjo shoot back in unison.  
  
The cold, unshakable purposefulness of Saitou´s expression was already unnerving enough for the girl but his following words topped it all.   
"She's just an onmitsu, I know briefly. I've hired her to find you", the Ex- Shinsengumi explained casually. "Look into her eyes, Nanjo. Don't you recognize Makimachi Hayato´s granddaughter when you see her?"  
  
His former student blinked in astonishment. "Makimachi Hayato´s..."  
  
"Granddaughter, exactly!" Misao hissed. "And thank you very much for your concern", she added evenly in Saitou´s direction.   
  
His only response was another laconic shrug of his shoulders. "Sorry, Weasel."  
  
Meanwhile Nanjo eyed them both distrustfully.   
"And I should believe that you came here just to save a girl who means nothing at all to you?"  
  
"I came here to save Japan from your invasion."  
  
"Oh, of course." The silkiness returned into Nanjo´s voice but this time highlighted with a vicious undertone of malice.   
"Have you ever thought that this might me your fatal flaw, Hajime? That you think to much about your precious country and much to less about the ones dear to you?" He shook his head in mocking seriousness. "Have you ever thought that Tokio might still live if you would have been a bit less selfish?"  
  
Something flared briefly in Saitou's golden eyes, and hid again, but that was enough for Nanjo. A little smile appeared on his lips. "Yes, I heard about her death. And I am more sorry about it than you would believe. But then it is all and entirely your fault."  
  
"You don't think that you stand any chance to provoke me, do you?"   
Saitou´s voice sound as casual as ever, but nevertheless the Onmitsu girl thought to see a brief change in his manners before he put on his warrior mask again.  
  
Her eyes widened in worry. It was not at all like Saitou to give an opponent just the slightest tactical advantage.  
  
Suddenly she considered a fascinating possibility.   
*He had really loved her.*  
  
In spite of the situation she nearly could not suppress a mad burst of laughter. Mr.Eat-my-cigarettes had actually been in love with another person! And maybe he still was.  
  
Nanjo was still staring at Saitou when he finally answered, a cruel smile on his lips. "Tokio", he mused softly. "What did you ever know about your wife?"  
His voice sounded soft again all of a sudden but somehow it frightened Misao more than the hatred did earlier. "You have never understood her, Hajime, never. And that was why, no matter how much you loved her, you could never give her what she really wished for."  
  
Misao couldn't believe her ears. What this freak was doing was not only unfair, it was pure malice! Inwardly she clenched her fists. "Don't fall for this!" she shouted at the former Shinsengumi. "How can you be at fault when someone dies? You are not a God or something like that."  
  
Nanjo sneered as he turned back to her. "Oh, no God, that's true, little one, but at fault nevertheless. Or do you think that Tokio would have killed herself if she had had a good husband?"  
  
Misao froze, her mouth opened.  
Tokio...killed herself?!   
  
She stared at Saitou whose expression was as quiet as a battlefield short before the storm. Oh Kami-sama...  
  
But Nanjo wasn't done yet.  
"Has she ever told her about her youth, Hajime?" he continued his torture. "Has she ever told you how the Bakumatsu had stolen her the only person she loved from childhood on?"  
  
Saitou´s eyes flashed at these words. Certainly, it occurred to Misao, certainly it hurt him that his wife has trust herself to Nanjo but not to him.   
  
But the freak wasn't done yet.  
  
"And you? Have you ever tried to heal her wounds, Hajime? Or have you been to *TOO* occupied with your duties?" Nanjo chuckled. "Forgive me, but you could as well say that YOU killed your wife!"  
  
"Perhaps you are right." Misao hold her breath at Saitou´s serenity. Then the ex-Captain lifted his sword and held it horizontal.   
"But none the less I will never give up these duties."  
  
For a moment, the two figures were as still as statues, then both of them exploded into motion. Saitou´s eyes gleamed dangerously as he dashed towards his old enemy - his sword a wolf's fangs flashing to rend its opponent's body to shreds. Almost at the same time, Nanjo leapt backward, his sword in the same position and his eyes evenly gleaming.   
  
Misao frowned at the loud, jarring sound of tempered steel clashing together. Breathlessly she observed how the two figures merged into one for a timeless instant before quickly leaping apart.   
  
One of them would die. If only she were surer that it would be Nanjo!  
  
But she could not fail to notice that the freak's words had touched some   
essential part of Saitou. The wolf's deadliness did not solely reside in   
his fighting skill, but also in his cold, calculating mind. Nanjo knew this as well for he was trained by Saitou himself, he had probably also heard the same lesson about weak points, Saitou had given her. And now he was using the wolf's feelings for his dead wife for his own purposes.  
  
Nanjo straightened himself and lifted his gleaming katana , the icy coldness of his eyes mirroring the dark stain on the blade. "You are the one who stands no chance. Last time I lost against you but this was fifteen years ago. I've trained well, only for this one day."  
  
Saitou´s stare was of an equal coldness as he gripped his sword tighter. "You trained only to be killed by me."  
  
"And you fought only to loose your wife! You left her alone all the time although you knew that she wouldn't be able to live in the new era! You were the one who hired yourself out like some damn whore to the new government just because you didn't want your life to loose its sense! Have you ever thought about her life?" Nanjo snarled. "But no, all you were concerned about was the chance to play around with the Battousai!"  
  
Saitou´s eyes flashed. Again he burst forward, faster than ever, straight out. At the same time, he lowered his speeding form and twisted his body violently, but Nanjo had seen the move beforehand.  
In a blur, the former Shinsengumi slipped behind him. Saitou spun away, but not before Nanjo had managed to inflict a deep cut on his shoulder.   
  
Misao rebelled frantically against the bars of her prison.   
"Dammit, SAITOU!" she screamed. Horrified she struggled even harder to get free. ´Don't let him kill you, you idiot! Don't let him kill you. Please...´  
  
But the wolf didn't even seem to notice her. "Why, Nanjo?" he suddenly asked while breaking into a swift lunge. "I have already asked you this when we fought fifteen years ago and you have given me no answer. Now I ask you a second time."   
  
With a quick step Nanjo sprang out of range and chuckled viciously.   
"WHY?! You want to know why? Because your damned heartlessness has destroyed me!" Misao flinched from the sheer hatred in his voice. "Would it have been so hard to speak to me like you spoke to Okita-san? Would it have been so hard to be nice to a child who admired you more than everything? Me and Tokio, you destroyed both of us! And now I'll destroy you."  
  
"Don't be too sure of yourself." Saitou gripped his sword tighter. "Only the last blood matters."  
  
Misao´s body tensed. Left, right, or up, what Gatotsu would Saitou use   
next?   
  
Her answer came as the wolf leaped himself high into the air, blade angled vertically down to pierce Nanjo´s head. Somehow, his opponent managed to fling himself aside, away from the curve of his blade, barely noticing the close miss since the next attack was already coming. Once again, the clearing was filled with the clashing sounds of the dancing katanas.   
  
Misao watched breathlessly. Somehow she got the impression that these two men were not fighting in the world she knew, but in a world long vanished. It was no fight of the Meiji but of the Edo period, a fight in which time had become absolutely meaningless. Both saw only his opponent, and nothing else.  
  
Both were excellent fighters, so much was sure, but under normal circumstances   
Saitou would certainly win. Well, under normal circumstances his opponent wouldn't call him murderer of his wife like Nanjo was doing once again.   
  
Misao´s eyes began to burn with a battlelust akin to the two fighters.   
That was UNFAIR. And suddenly she felt Saitou´s lips on her mouth again and heard his words once more.  
  
* The first thing you should have been taught when learning how to fight is to watch your adversary and find his weak point. You must train more, Weasel, or else every idiot will be able to defeat you. *  
  
Her mouth opened. WEAK POINT! Exactly!!! When Nanjo used Saitou´s weak spot, the wolf should simply do alike.  
  
Her mouth closed again as a smile appeared on her lips. Luckily this freak showed his weakness well enough.  
  
"Hey!" she shouted.  
  
They ignored her.  
  
"HEY!"  
  
Still no reactions.  
  
"GODDAMIT, WILL YOU TWO BLOODY SHINSENGUMI BASTARDS LISTEN TO ME!"   
  
Both fighters stopped in their attack.   
  
That was better.  
  
"You say you want revenge, Nanjo? Wanna know what you are? You are a bloody liar! The only thing you want is some of Saitou´s affection and you know damn   
well that you will never achieve this goal!"  
  
Nanjo´s eyes flashed. "You're disturbing us."  
  
Well, freak, that's what I'm intending to do!  
  
"Do you think that you will gain his respect just because you took some lessons in sparring?" she taunted him further. "Come on, you know that this means nothing to him! YOU mean nothing to him!"  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
"YOU´RE BENEATH HIM!"  
  
Saitou looked from one to another, an unreadable expression on his face. Suddenly he sighed resigned as if he were dealing with two constantly misbehaving children. "Perhaps you are too green behind your ears to notice, Weasel, but I really don't need your help to win a fight against an ahou like him."  
  
"A what?!" Nanjo hissed.  
  
His former captain just rolled his eyes, obviously not considering the ahou worthy enough of any further words. "But then you are entirely right, so your childish attempts do not matter very much. That man IS beneath me."  
  
The girl couldn't help but grin in response. It seemed that the Saitou she knew was back.  
  
With a move, even faster than before, Saitou slashed out, this time not hold back by any grief or other emotions, a merciless golden light in his eyes, untameable and unbearable wild.  
  
Misao froze, suddenly understanding.  
  
* So that's why they call you a wolf... *  
  
Nanjo lost his balance and Saitou made his second move with every bit of speed he could muster.   
  
His attack broke his opponent's two handed grip on his sword. He twisted and brutally yanked the hand that was still holding the sword off too the side before striking out with one fluid movement.   
  
Misao shrieked quietly as Nanjo´s mouth formed a perfect oval of amazement when his blood exploded upwards as if from a fount. His long thin body slumped and fell heavily to the floor, the soft black hair spreading out on the rug.  
  
Saitou´s eyes flashed coldly. "As I said. You trained only to be killed by me."  
  
With his last efforts Nanjo turned his head towards his killer, a smile on his face. "Nevertheless...I wanted to see you, Hajime", he whispered. "Hateful as you are...Cruel as you are...Beloved as you are...Beyond any reason and unreason. I just... wanted to see you."  
  
Then his head dropped aside.  
  
Saitou stared down at the dead man to his feet, an unreadable expression on his face. Then he bowed his head slowly, as if burdened by a weight far too heavy to bear even for him.   
  
"Saitou?" Misao asked in shy manner after a long time of silence. "Are you alright?"  
  
Gleaming amber eyes flicked back to her, still expressing nothing, then he sighed resigned. "Only you can ask such a stupid question, Weasel Girl", he remarked with infuriating coolness. "Have you ever heard about sensibility."  
  
"LOOK WHO´S SPEAKING! YOU...", the girl began but stopped abruptly as he approached her to cut her bounds. When she was freed he took of his jacket and threw it nonchalantly over Nanjo´s dead face.  
  
"I simply cannot stand the sight of idiots like him", he explained casually.  
  
Misao´s eyes widened. "You simply cannot..."  
  
She did not know whether to laugh or to cry. And suddenly it did not matter that she wanted to flatten this man to the turf most of the time; it didn't matter that he behaved like an asshole even when he was in a good mood and that she usually couldn't stand him for more then five minutes - the only thing that mattered was that this stupid story was over and that they both were still alive. Despite herself she felt tears in her eyes.   
  
He rose an eyebrow at her sudden stillness and already opened his mouth to comment on it but before he could emerge a sound, Misao was already wrapping her hands around his neck and buried her head in the hollow between the older man's shoulder and neck. "Don't dare to say something now!" she whispered with tears in her eyes. "One sarcastic comment and I will really, I mean REALLY, kill you!"  
  
Although not seeing his face, she could somehow feeling how a small amused smile appeared on the wolf's lips. "No sarcasm."  
  
"That WAS sarcastic!"  
  
He sighed. "You don't know what you want, Weasel."  
  
"Well, idiot, that might just be because..."  
  
She stopped in midsentence as she suddenly felt the older man's breathe near her face. "Just shut up, Weasel."  
  
Averting his eyes, she felt a flush creeping into her face. What the hell were they doing here?!  
  
But then...  
  
His embrace was so warm and she did not want to let this go.   
  
Smiling mildly surprised about herself, she closed her eyes and smiled as she cuddled herself tighter against him. Perhaps, she thought already very absent minded, perhaps even simple human warmth was something.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
So the enemy is defeated and the last chapter awaits you.  
How will the tale of the wolf and the weasel end? Find out for yourself 


	9. Crossroads: Epilogue

Chapter 9: Crossroads (Epilogue)  
  
  
A cold wind freed the trees of their beautiful load and whirled golden and red leaves through the air, turning the world into a colourful autumn dream, before letting them settle on the solid ground before the huge but empty and lifeless house whose utilitarian ugliness they masked. The sky showed a brilliant blue, so vivid that it nearly hurt the eyes, creating a stark contrast to the bright sunshine.   
  
But the two figures in front of the house didn't pay attention to the golden warmth which was shifting over their skin by inches.   
  
"So...", Misao began hesitantly while balancing from one feet to the other.  
  
Saitou leaned back on the closed door, a cigarette in the corner of his mouth. "So?"  
  
She blushed a bit, not quite knowing what to say.   
  
Was it just her or was the situation really absolute grotesque?  
  
Yesterday, after separating from their embrace after what seemed a whole eternity, she and Saitou had returned to their residence in silence, where they had sit together nearly the whole night, not really conversating, but also not willing to spent the night all alone. She had been weary, but nevertheless somehow content. It had felt ... well, *good* just to sit close to him and watching him breathing slowly. It had felt safe.  
She had even thought that she actually got to LIKE Saitou in spite of all his countless mistakes!  
  
...and the next morning, without any preamble, he had told her in the most laconic way that their mission was over by now and that they should separate to return to daily life!  
  
Well, the girl thought sarcastically, in theory the idea sound really well, but why the hell was saying goodbye to the damn wolf so damn hard?  
And why was she unable to say a word when hundred of question were floating through her mind?  
  
*Are you going to miss me? Just a little bit?*  
*Do you not notice that I am wearing the kimono you gave me?*   
*And can't you quit smoking just for three minutes for God's sake?!?!*  
  
"It's time to say goodbye, I guess", she finally muttered, her eyes still focussed on the cloudless blue sky. So perfect. Almost too much to take.  
  
"Indeed."  
  
VERY helpful, Saitou, really very helpful!  
  
"What are you going to do now?" she asked further, this time directly confronting him with her stare, but he only shrugged his shoulders laconically.  
  
"There is just one way of life for me, you know that well enough." He hesitated for one moment. "I suppose you are returning to your people in Kyoto?"  
  
The girl nodded, for one moment forgetting her insecurity and showing nothing but grim determination. "Hai." Then she sighed deeply. "I will try one last time for Aoshi-sama. But if he...Well, then I will free myself. I can't let it defeat me and become like Nanjo-san. After all I am the Okashira - and there are people who need me."  
  
Saitou didn't comment on this, just took another drag from his cigarette, but she could feel that he approved this decision.  
  
Yes, when there was one thing that she learned from the wolf, then that she had duties she couldn't ignore. She had chosen her path, and there was no way in hell she would let her grandfather's organisation, Aoshi´s organisation, *her* organisation down. Even if Aoshi denied her his support, even if she never found what she had hoped to find behind his cold facade - she would continue her self-chosen path. It made her what she was.  
  
And furthermore there was at least one person who would respect this decision.  
  
"Saitou?"  
  
"What else?"  
  
She had to say it. She really had to say it.  
  
"The time with you...We were a good team, weren't we?"  
  
The wolf rose an eyebrow. "You did your part and I did mine, if you mean that", he returned with infuriating coolness. As he saw her brows narrowing in fury, a wry smile appeared on his lips. "No need to sulk, Weasel."  
  
"Nani?!"  
  
Lifting the burning cigarette to his mouth, he regarded her mockingly.   
"Well, after all you helped stopping a lot of death and destruction. Don't misunderstand me, that doesn't change the fact that you are acting like a mindless child most of the time, but you really can be proud of yourself." Quirking his lips and letting a trail of smoke issuing, he let his glance rest on her, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I'm sure your grandfather would be."  
  
Misao´s heart made a painful jump, but nevertheless the girl remained suspiciously. She got to knew the wolf too good to fall for a compliment directly. "Do you really mean this?"  
  
The corner of his mouth quirked. "Otherwise I would not say it, stupid one." With his seldom tenderness, he reached out to push a stride of Misao´s hair back behind her ears. For one moment his thumb, callused from all the years he already wielded his sword, rested on her cheek. "Until we meet again, Weasel."  
  
Misao smiled warmly. "Goodbye, wolf."  
  
  
  
Author's notes  
--------------  
  
Ta-da! The tale of Wolf and Weasel is finally finished!  
  
Well, my babbling isn't, so here some comments:  
  
(1) From the beginning on I intended to write a lemon, but then came the NC-17 ban and this wasn´t an option anymore. Well, perhaps this was for the best since as far as I can see, the relationship between the two bases on an odd mixture of fascination, esteem and of course their constant quarrelling. Certainly there are sparks flying between them from time to time, but I don't think that these sparks are enough to turn them into "slaves of their lust" (isn't that a hilarious expression? A good friend of mine uses it all of the time...). Not at the moment, anyway. But well, when they have dealed with their own love problems, who knows...(Have I mentioned that I play with the thought of writing a sequel =^_~=)  
  
  
(2) Yes, Tokio´s mysterious past remains a mystery. I decided not to elaborate it since I'm sure that whatever you imagine is better than whatever I could make up! So, instead, I just gave a few hints toward my favourite possibility. I hope that satisfies everyone's curiosity. 


End file.
